Statue Of Unity, Kevadiya - Timings, Entry Fee, History & Artifacts

At a distance of 7 km from Kevadiya Railway Station, and 90 km from Vadodara, the Statue of Unity is a giant statue located on an islet on the Sardar Sarovar Dam at Kevadia village in Gujarat. Situated on Sadhu Bet Island, it is one of the most popular places Gujarat tourist places and among the must include places in Kevadiya tour packages.

The Statue of Unity is a colossal statue of Indian statesman and the Ironman of India Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (1875-1950) who was the first Home Minister of India. The statue was inaugurated by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi in 2018. The project was carried out by the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Rashtriya Ekta Trust (SVPRET) which was established for this purpose. Designed by the Indian Sculptor, Ram Vanji Sutar, the construction was taken up by the Indian company Larson & Toubro. The Rs. 2,989 crore project took 42 months, and round-the-clock work by 3,400 laborers and 250 engineers to complete. The statue has been erected to propagate Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's vision of India and to inspire the citizens of India through his patriotism and freedom struggle.

Surrounded by a 12 km artificial lake, the monument compound is spread across 20,000 square meters. The Bronze statue of the founding father of the Republic of India stands 182 m tall grabbing the attention of the whole world as the 'Tallest statue in the World'. The statue is 23 meters taller than China's Spring Temple Buddha statue and almost double the height of the Statue of Liberty (93 m) in the US. For this project, the government had been collected nearly 135 metric tonnes of scrap iron from farmers all around the nation. It can be visited along with Vadodara tour packages.

The statue is divided into five zones of which only three are accessible to the public. From its base to the level of Patel's shins is the first zone which has three levels and includes an exhibition area, mezzanine floor, and roof. It contains a museum, a memorial garden, and an Audio Visual Hall to depict the life and struggles of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The 2nd zone reaches up to Patel's thighs, while the 3rd extends up to the viewing gallery at 153 m. The concrete towers which form the statue's legs contain two elevators each that can carry 26 people at once to the viewing gallery in all 30 seconds. One can get a panoramic view of the surroundings from the viewing gallery. Zone 4 is the maintenance area while zone 5 comprises the head and shoulders of the statue.

A 30-minute Light and Sound Show using laser technology projected on the Statue of Unity takes place every evening except Monday. The colorful laser lighting system is accompanied by an excellent narration of the history and life of Sardar Patel, his contribution to the Independence Movement, and the unification of India as one nation. There is a three-star hotel inside the complex for those who are willing to stay overnight.

Shrestha Bharat Bhawan is the starting point of your journey to the Statue of Unity. Park the vehicle and get the tickets starting from the entry fee to boating and helicopter from this place. From the ticket counter, one to travel by bus arranged by the management to reach the statue. The guide inside the bus will tell you everything about the place in three different languages that is Hindi, Gujarati, and English.

Timings: 9 AM - 5.30 PM, Closed on Mondays

Timings of Entry Ticket Window: 8.30 AM - 4 PM

Entry: Rs. 150 for Adults, Rs. 90 for Children & Rs. 30 for Bus (It includes Valley of Flower, Memorial, Museum and Audio Visual Gallery, the Statue of Unity Site & the Sardar Sarovar Dam).

Express Entry: Rs.1030 for Person

Observation Deck: Rs. 380 for Indian Adults, Rs. 230 for Indian Children & Rs. 830 for Indian Adults, Rs. 530 for Foreign Children