News Analysis India

Tag: Statue of Unity

  • Railways to develop art gallery as an added attraction for tourists visiting Statue of Unity in Gujarat

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Encouraged by the growing footfalls of domestic and foreign tourists to see the world’s tallest Statue of Unity at Kevadiya in Gujarat’s Narmada district, the Indian Railways (IR) has decided to develop an Art-Gallery with souvenir shop at newly built India’s first Green energy certified Ekatanagar Kevadiya railway station under the Western Railway.

    Sharing this with the media, chief spokesperson of Western Railway Sumit Thakur said on Sunday: “Now tourists visiting the ’Statue of Unity’, can experience the rich cultural history of Gujarat at Kevadiya railway station itself”.

    Thakur said that the Indian Railways is adding one more tourist attraction near the Statue of Unity. It has awarded a contract for the development of the Art Gallery with Souvenir shop under the PPP model.

    “Working on the PPP model, the Art Gallery will showcase different arts and crafts of Gujarat and India’s other states. The Art Gallery will be developed and operated by the private giving an earning of Rs  24.7 lakh to railways for next 10 years”, Thakur claimed.

    Outlining another benefit of this concept, Thakur claimed the concept will not only enrich the experience of people visiting Kevadiya to see the Statue of Unity but also have a good bearing on social front of localities.

    “This will certainly generate employment opportunities to the local tribal people of Narmada district by giving them an opportunity to promote their tribal arts and crafts on a wider scale”, he said.

  • Gujarat: 194 crocodiles relocated from lake near Statue of Unity for safety of tourists

    By PTI
    AHMEDABAD: As many as 194 crocodiles have been relocated from a lake near the ‘Statue of Unity’ in Gujarat’s Narmada district in the last two years for the safety of tourists who come to enjoy boat rides there, officials said on Sunday.

    The Panchmuli lake, situated near the 182-metre tall statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Kevadia, a major tourist attraction, had a large number of crocodiles that posed a threat to visitors, they said.

    “In 2019-20 (October-March), we relocated 143 crocodiles. In 2020-21, another 51 crocodiles were shifted to two rescue centres in Gandhinagar and Godhra,” Kevadia Range Forest Officer Vikramsinh Gabhania, told PTI.

    There are still many crocodiles in the lake, he said.

    The Panchmuli lake, also known as ‘Dyke-3’ of the Sardar Sarovar Dam, was developed for tourists visiting the Statue of Unity.

    Hence, the authorities decided to relocate crocodiles from the water body to prevent any harm to tourists, the official said.

    In 2019-20, 73 rescued crocodiles were released in the the Sardar Sarovar reservoir.

    The animals rescued later from the lake were shifted to the rescue centres at Godhra in Panchmahal district, and Gandhinagar, he said.

    “Some 60 cages are placed around the lake to trap the crocodiles. The part of the lake where sea planes (flying between Ahmedabad and Kevadia) land is completely safe,” he said.

    In 2019, the Gujarat State Forest Development Corporation Ltd (GSFDC) started the boat ride in Dyke-3 (Panchmuli lake), which is rich in flora and fauna and surrounded by lush green forests, as part of the eco-tourism activity in the region surrounding the Statue of Unity, according to the state tourism department.

    A spokesperson of the Statue of Unity authority said the boat ride is a major tourist attraction in the area and witnesses a heavy rush of visitors, especially on weekends.

    The Statue of Unity, located near the Narmada river basin, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 31, 2018.

  • Gujarat: Statue of Unity crosses 50 lakh visitors-mark

    By PTI
    AHMEDABAD: In a major milestone, the ‘Statue of Unity’ at Kevadia in Gujarat’s Narmada district has crossed the mark of 50 lakh visitors since its inauguration in 2018, a state government official said on Monday.

    The statue has emerged as an international tourist destination, offering multiple attractions for all age groups, Gujarat’s Additional Chief Secretary (Forest and Environment) Rajiv Gupta said in a tweet.

    The 182-metre tall statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, billed as the world’s tallest and built on the Sadhu Bet islet near the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Kevadia, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modion October 31, 2018.

    Since then,visitors from across the country and abroad have flocked the tourist spot and several other attractions that have been added there.

    “#StatueofUnity crosses five million visitors mark !!! Built under visionary leadership of Hon. @PMOIndiait has emerged as an international tourist destination, offering multiple attractions for all age groups. @narendramodi @tourismgoi@souindia,” Gupta tweeted.

    To improve rail and air connectivity to Kevadia, the government recently added eight new trains from different parts of the country and a seaplane service from Ahmedabad.

    The flow of visitors to the tourist spot was affected after the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, but picked up rapidly since it was reopened for the public on October 17 last year after remaining closed for over seven months.

    During his address on January18 this year after flagging off eight trains to Kevadia from across India, Prime Minister Modi said more tourists visit the Statue of Unity in Gujarat than the Statue of Liberty in the US.

    He had said that with increased connectivity, over a lakh people will visit Kevadia daily, as per a survey.

    On Patel’s birth anniversary last year, Modi had also launched a seaplane service between the Statue of Unity and the Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad, further improving connectivity to the tourist attraction in Kevadia.

  • PM Narendra Modi flags off eight trains to boost connectivity to Statue of Unity in Gujarat

    By PTI
    AHMEDABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday flagged off eight trains connecting different parts of the country to Kevadia in Gujarat, via video conferencing. These trains will connect Kevadia to Varanasi, Dadar, Ahmedabad, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Rewa, Chennai and Pratapnagar.

    Modi said these trains will help boost tourism in the tribal region and increase connectivity to the world’s tallest statue, the Statue of Unity, which he inaugurated in October 2018 on the occasion of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s 143rd birth anniversary.

    ALSO READ| Statue of Unity gets more tourists than Statue of Liberty: PM Narendra Modi

    The Ahmedabad-Kevadia Jan Shatabdi Express, one of the eight trains, has been equipped with the ‘Vista-dome tourist coach’ which offers large viewing areas with rooftop glasses and seats for passengers.

    Modi also inaugurated the Dabhoi-Chandod converted broad gauge railway line, Chandod-Kevadia new broad gauge rail line, newly electrified Pratapnagar-Kevadia section and the new station buildings of Dabhoi, Chandod and Kevadia.

    Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath joined the event via video link.

  • Statue of Unity in Gujarat gets more tourists than New York’s Statue of Liberty: PM Narendra Modi

    By PTI
    AHMEDABAD: More tourists visit the Statue of Unity in Gujarat than the Statue of Liberty in the US, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday, adding almost 50 lakh tourists have visited the former since it opened two over years ago.

    In his address after flagging off eight trains to Kevadia from across India via video conferencing, Modi said that with increased connectivity over a lakh people will visit Kevadia daily, as per a survey. Modi inaugurated the Statue of Unity, billed as the world’s tallest, in October 2018 on the occasion of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s 143rd birth anniversary.

    Modi said that besides tourists visiting the Statue of Unity, locals will be the biggest beneficiary of the new rail connectivity. “Even the pilgrims visiting a few centres located in the region will get the benefit of new trains to Kevadia,” he added.

    “Today, Kevadia is no longer a small block located in a remote area of Gujarat but is emerging as the world’s biggest tourist destination. More people have started visiting the Statue of Unity compared to the Statue of Liberty. After its inauguration, nearly 50 lakh people have visited it. Despite everything remaining closed for months during coronavirus pandemic, the number of tourists visiting Kevadia is increasing fast,” Modi said.

    “It is estimated in a survey that as the connectivity increases, over one lakh people will visit Kevadia daily. A small, beautiful Kevadia is a good example of how economy and ecology can both be developed in a planned manner while saving the environment,” Modi said.

    “Tourists visiting the Statue of Unity will get the benefit of this rail connectivity, but this connectivity is going to change the lives of people of Kevadia. It will bring new opportunities of employment and self-employment,” he said.

    “This rail line will also connect important places of faith like Karnali, Poicha and Garudeshwar. And it is true that the entire region is filled with spiritual vibration. And with this facility, it is a big gift for those who generally visit here for spiritual reasons,” he said.

  • PM Modi to flag off 8 trains connecting Statue of Unity in Kevadiya with different parts of country

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off eight trains connecting different regions of the country with Kevadiya, home to the Statue of Unity dedicated to Vallabhbhai Patel, in Gujarat on Sunday via video-conferencing.

    Modi said on Saturday that the Kevadiya railway station is India’s first with green building certification.

    Now, more reason to visit the ‘Statue of Unity!’ This iconic Statue, a tribute to the great Sardar Patel is connected via railways to different regions of India.8 trains will be flagged-off tomorrow, 17th January at 11 AM. Do watch the programme live. https://t.co/yW3FmGlsXc pic.twitter.com/lV4uJ33If0
    — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 16, 2021

    “Now, more reason to visit the ‘Statue of Unity!’ This iconic Statue, a tribute to the great Sardar Patel is connected via railways to different regions of India. 8 trains will be flagged off tomorrow, 17th January at 11 AM. Do watch the programme live,” he tweeted.

    During the programme, several other projects relating to the railways will also be inaugurated and these include new station buildings of Kevadiya, Dabhoi and Chandod.

    One of the new trains is the Jan Shatabdi Express between Ahmedabad and Kevadia which will have Vistadome coaches, he said and posted some pictures.

  • PM Modi to e-inaugurate railway station in Gujarat, broad gauge link to Statue of Unity in Narmada

    By PTI
    AHMEDABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Sunday inaugurate virtually the newly-built Kevadia railway station near the Statue of Unity in Narmada district and a broad gauge line connecting Vadodara with Kevadia, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said on Friday.

    The inauguration was earlier scheduled for Saturday but, apparently, got pushed back by a day due to the prime minister kicking off the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive on the same day.

    “Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Kevadia railway station through video-conference from New Delhi on January 17. He will also inaugurate the Vadodara- Kevadia railway line on the same day,” the chief minister said in Jamnagar.

    Rupani said the PM would flag off eight trains from Kevadia, some 195 kilometres from here, during the virtual function on Sunday.

    In December 2018, President Ram Nath Kovind visited Kevadia, which is around 5 kilometres from the 182-metre tall Statue of Unity, and laid the foundation stone for the railway station, aimed at providing a direct rail link to the heavily patronised monument from Vadodara, a major Western Railway junction.

    To connect Kevadia with the main line, the railways converted the 18-kilometre Dabhoi-Chandod narrow gauge line into broad gauge and connected Chandod with Kevadia by laying a 32-kilometre broad gauge line.

    On January 18, the PM would also lay foundation stones for two metro train services in Gujarat via video-conference from New Delhi, Rupani said.

    “On January 18, the PM will lay the foundation stone for phase-II of the metro project, connecting Ahmedabad with Gandhinagar and GIFT City. He will also perform the virtual stone-laying ceremony of the upcoming metro train project for Surat city,” the CM said.

    Ahmedabad metro train service is divided into two phases, with the city getting covered in the first, and a link to Gandhinagar in the second.

    In March 2019, PM Modi had inaugurated the 6.5 kilometer stretch of the Ahmedabad Metro train service. Work on the remaining stretches of phase I is under progress.

    Ahmedabad Metro’s first phase has two corridors, one from Vastral to Thaltej Gam and the second from Gyaspur depot to Motera stadium.

    The second phase will be from Motera cricket stadium till Gandhinagar, officials had earlier said.

  • Editorial :- Raam Janmabhoomi ka Mudda Raajaneeti ke Baare Mein Nahin hai

    Ashant has given a decision in the case of Sabarimala
    Likewise, in the Ram Temple case? The yogi

    The Supreme Court’s new bench is going to hear the matter on Ayodhya issue on October 29.

    The new Bench of Justice Gogoi, Justice SK Cole and Justice Joejeph will hear the case.

    It is worth noting that following the policy of division of Muslim appeasement and rule of the British, the Supreme Court advocate while advocating on behalf of the Muslim Law Personal Board and Congress leader Kapil Sibal, who was a minister in the UPA regime, during the Gujarat assembly elections The Supreme Court had said that no decision should be given on the Ayodhya-Babri dispute before the 2019 elections.

    On the contrary, UP Chief Minister Adityanath said on Saturday that just as the Supreme Court has ruled in the matter of Sabarimala, the same should be heard in the Ram Temple case. Describing the Ram Mandir case as a matter of faith of the people of India, Yogi said that the temple in Ayodhya is very important in the hearts of people.

    Addressing the program organized by the India Foundation, Yogi said, “If the Supreme Court can decide on the matter in Sabarimala, then it should also order its order on Ram temple issue. I urge the court to do so. “He also clarified that there is no electoral issue for Ramayana and for his party Bharatiya Janata Party.

    His comment is also important because his statement came at a time when the Vishwa Hindu Parishad demanded that the government should make a law in Parliament for the construction of a temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. Yogi also discussed the development work being done by his government.

    Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also said that Ramjanma land issue is not about politics, it is about religious sentiments. In the case of Ram Janabumbi, the Supreme Court will pronounce the judgment. All eyes are looking towards the Supreme Court with the ray of hope to get positive decisions in favor of Lord Ram temple.

    The Chief Minister Yogi has urged the Supreme Court to take a decision in favor of Ram temple and appealed to the court because he has given verdict on Sabarimala temple, hence the decision of Ram temple should be given as soon as possible to restore peace in the country. It is important for the decision to come early.

    CM Yogi said that the Supreme Court does not discriminate in decision making because there is no political significance in this matter but it is a matter of religious sentiments.

    It is necessary to remember that members of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty themselves have been confused with Indian civilization, Hindutva etc. and have been misleading the people in the greed of power.

    Pandit Nehru had said that he is a devout Hindu, otherwise he is a Muslim with education from English and culture.

    In the same way, Rajiv Gandhi, son of Firoz Khan, opened the door of Ramlala’s door to get votes of Hindus. Similarly, the Shahbahan passed the law by passing the law passed by the Supreme Court to get their votes for Muslims to vote.

    Similarly, on the instruction of Sonia Gandhi during the UPA rule, then Ambika Soni, the then minister of the time, gave affidavits in the Supreme Court, saying that Ram is fictional and not historical.

    In the UPA regime, former Home Minister Dwija Shinde and Chidambaram falsely propagated the words of Hindu terror Saffron Terror. Similarly, Rahul Gandhi also went to America and said that Hindu terror is more dangerous than the LeT in India.

    As with this kind of antics, as Ani Antoine in his report told that the image of Congress began to be identified as a Muslim party.

    Considering its consistent defeat, the Congress party now started a double trick. For this, Rahul Gandhi is not only a multiprofitist but also a revered Brahmin, but also with his mother, Sonia Gandhi, to show Shivbhakt also.

    On the other hand, he discarded one of his army Hindus and left them to please the Muslims.

    On October 31, the world’s tallest Vallabhbhai Patel statue of Unity is to be unveiled by PM Modi. On such occasions, former Vice President Hamid Ansari attributed Vallabh Bhai Patel and India to Partition’s partition.

    Shashi Tharoor has also shrugged off the insulting of Shivling by preaching the word of Hindu Pakistan.

    The public needs to be cautious about this kind of conspiracy that disrupts India’s unity.