Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the Statue of Unity, built as a tribute to freedom movement icon Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 143rd birth anniversary on Wednesday.
“In order to build the #StatueOfUnity, lakhs of farmers from all over India came together, gave their tools, portions of the soil and thus, a mass movement developed,” Prime Minister said.
“This is a project that we had thought about during the time I was the Chief Minister of Gujarat,” Prime Minister added.
Modi said that today is a day that will be remembered in the history of India. No Indian will ever forget this day. “We are all delighted to be here, on the banks of the Narmada. Today we mark Ekta Diwas. Several people across India are taking part in the ‘Run for Unity.” He added.
The imposing monument, touted as the world’s tallest statue, is twice the height of Statue of Liberty and is on an islet located on the river island called Sadhu Bet facing the Narmada Dam.
Built at a cost of Rs 2,989 crore. At 182-metre, the statue is touted as the world’s tallest – it is 177 feet higher than China’s Spring Temple Buddha, currently the world’s tallest statue.
It was designed by Indian sculptor Ram V Sutar and built by construction firm Larsen and Toubro and the state-run Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd.
It took about 250 engineers and 3,400 labourers to construct the statue in a record time of 33 months.
Earlier today, Home Minister Rajnath Singh flag off “Run for Unity” in Delhi on 143rd birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
