Amid Praises For Statue Of Unity, This Visitor Sheds Light On Things The Govt Didn't Consider
There has been a lot of buzz around the Statue of Unity from the day it has been opened for the visitors. Being the tallest statue of the world, the Statue of Unity garnered a lot of limelight. The visitors are increasing day-by-day and meanwhile on Saturday, over 27,000 people visited the Sardar Patel Memorial, which is the highest so far.
While people are busy praising the statue, other people are facing a lot of problems with the infrastructure and facilities around this statue. Earlier this week, a visitor tweeted about her experience of visiting the statue and posted pictures in which people can be seen sitting and resting on the floor inside the visiting area of the statue, the girl wrote that while we can comment on the ethics of people there is more to it.
Yesterday i visited world's biggest statue and talking about the user experience that comes with this Incredibly huge 182 m high national monument, we came across this. Obviously looking at these pictures, we'd blame our people and our ethics. But there's more to it. pic.twitter.com/8lVUGtd4i4
¡ª Kosha (@kosha_shah11) November 9, 2018
The girl in another tweet wrote that being an architecture student herself she has been failed by her faculty and jurors and for the bad infrastructure the government is to be blamed, nobody else.
That people aren't the only ones to be blamed but the government is at fault too. As architecture students, we're failed by our jurors and faculty for incomplete work. Then how do you open a world record breaker monument to the public with half planned proposals? #StatueOfUnity
¡ª Kosha (@kosha_shah11) November 9, 2018
Commenting on the poor parking and vehicle facility, people had to stand under the sun for three hours waiting for the bus to take them inside, as private vehicles beyond a point are not allowed. She also pointed that for approximately 10k people, only 16 buses are used.
Did they really want people to visit the monument?We were standing 3 hours straight in the heat on the road for 16 buses that'd cater to approximately 10k people at a time since private vehicles weren't given direct entry clearly highlighting lack of parking provision. pic.twitter.com/NGSPGuVhJs
¡ª Kosha (@kosha_shah11) November 9, 2018
In the next thread, she posted pictures of the public restroom facilities and sitting areas as they are in a bad shape and nobody can use it. Putting the onus on government, she said that for everything you can¡¯t blame population explosion because it¡¯s just a way to escape from one's responsibilities.
And you CANNOT blame population explosion for the mismanagement because that is the only excuse in the running and it's high time the government needs to consider this while approving designs. Here's what the tourist centre and facilities there looked like at the #StatueOfUnity pic.twitter.com/NOdiBHu0Ed
¡ª Kosha (@kosha_shah11) November 9, 2018
In her last tweet, she wrote that if the government is spending money in building huge statues then they should at least take care of the public facilities, parking areas and separate lanes for vehicles and pedestrians.
Then you expect people to not criticize government for what? Spending thousands of crores for global validation but not thinking abt visitors' interest & provision of facilities the most basic being parking, covered waiting areas & separate lanes for vehicles and pedestrians? pic.twitter.com/uiNLyMZOuT
¡ª Kosha (@kosha_shah11) November 9, 2018
The points put across by the girl caught many eyeballs and people started commenting on her tweet, some in her favour while, some not so much!
1.
While ur point about lack of facilities may be correct, people sleeping and sitting in a picnic mode at a world-scale monument is unacceptable and disrespectful. It actually stems from lack of civic sense, seen elsewhere too incl. roads, parks etc. (1/2)
¡ª Vyom Shah (@vyom56) November 10, 2018
2.
It¡¯s all about what lens you use to see the world.. One can always blame the government, which we have done since ages or introspect within and ask do we really deserve the world¡¯s biggest monument?!! Anyway, just a PoV.
¡ª Vyom Shah (@vyom56) November 10, 2018
3.
There are countries that rely solely on tourism, it's a known job creator, your question could well have been "do we need jobs?"
¡ª Contrarian (@c_ontrarian) November 11, 2018
4.
I think first and foremost this is an issue of lack of planning. People will sit on the floor if they've taken hours to get there and no decent sitting arrangements.
¡ª Sukhada (@appadappajappa) November 10, 2018
5.
Thanks girl.. I was planning to visit this month itself.. but I guess I should give it a year till they arrange the basic facilities
¡ª Ulta-Jawab and 56 others (@timepassindelhi) November 10, 2018
6.
Tired taxpayers relaxing...
¡ª Singh (@singh279) November 10, 2018
Public paid for monuments and they have rights...
My point is 'they are not creating problem, just relaxing'...
And if anyone have problem with their sitting style then ask why dont govt planned for their sitting... ?
7.
Yes... Maybe in the next 3-4 years we should see some improvements from the current situation. Otherwise, it is a project gone waste.
¡ª DarkKnight (@iamshinerk) November 10, 2018
8.
Wow. Massive response. Clearly the authorities were under estimating the potential at 15k tourists per day.
¡ª punit modhgil (@Modhgil) November 10, 2018
9.
It is easy to blame the government for everything. Every good thing takes time and you cannot be soo impatient. Nothing is perfect since the very beginning and if you have doubts about why the statue was needed why did you in the first place went to visit it ?
¡ª Neha Thakurel (@NehaThakurel) November 11, 2018
10.
Just if they had spent 1%of total expenditure on basic facilities, things would have been better!
¡ª A sane Indian (@a_sane_indian) November 10, 2018
What are your opinions on this? Do you think that the maintenance needs some time or the government is responsible for not giving the best to people after putting so much money to build this huge statue?
