It's been just a year since Statue of Unity opened to the public and it has already beaten USA's prestigious Statue of Liberty.?
Designed by Indian sculptor Ram V Sutar, the Statue of Unity project was first announced in 2010, and was finally unveiled on October 31 last year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.?
According to reports, footfall at Statue of Unity has surpassed that at the 133-year-old Statue of Liberty in the U.S., with an average of over 15,000 tourists coming in every single day!?
"With 74 per cent increase over the daily average of the first year, that is, November 1, 2018, to October 31, 2019, daily average of 15,036 is now registered in the first month of this second year."This has further increased to 22,430 on weekend days. The Statue of Liberty of New York, United States, attracts around 10,000 visitors a day!" a statement by Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd said.?
The?Statue of Unity was mentioned by Time Magazine as one of the 100 important tourist destinations around the world.
In a Mann Ki Baat address in October 2019, PM Modi had said, "The distinction of having the world's highest statue fills every Indian with pride. The head of every Indian is held high." He also mentioned that the Statue of Unity is twice the height of the Statue of Liberty.?
The Statue of Unity is a statue of Vallabhbhai Patel, the first home minister of the country. With a height of 182 metres, it is the world's tallest statue.?It is located near the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the river Narmada in Kevadiya colony in Gujarat.
In a statement, Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd credited the rise in footfall at the monument to the addition of several new tourist attractions such as jungle safari, children's nutrition park, cactus garden, butterfly garden, ekta nursery, dino trail, river rafting, boating, alongside multiple budget accommodation options.??
"These additional tourist attractions have led to a sharp increase in the daily tourists' footfall during November 2019," it said. It also added that a total of 30,90,723 tourists have visited Kevadia till November 30 this year, generating a total income of Rs 85.57 crore.??
A total of 30,90,723 tourists have visited Kevadia till November 30 this year, generating a total income of Rs 85.57 crore, reports PTI.?