By Maj. Gen. (Retd.) S.G. Vombatkere
A 182-m (600 ft.) statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was constructed on an island in Narmada river in Gujarat and declared open to the public on 31.10.2018, as “Statue of Unity.” Government of Gujarat built it along with tourism infrastructure, at a cost of Rs.2,989 crore, using a PPP (Public-Private Partnership)model of funding. Public access to the top of the statue provides a panoramic view of the reservoir of the Sardar Sarovar Dam. In 2018-2019, 2.9 million tourists provided Rs.82 crore ticket revenue.
