Statue Of Unity The Next Big Tourist Destination? Patel Memorial Attracts Record 27,000 Visitors On Saturday

The Statue of Unity in Gujarat saw over 27,000 visitors, the highest ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Sardar Patel memorial on 31 October, reports Financial Express.

The overall footfall during Diwali holidays from Tuesday (6 November) to Saturday (10 November) would touch as high as 75,000 as per reports.

Narmada district Collector R S Ninama confirmed a footfall of 27,000 tourists Saturday (10 November) and said the administration was expecting the figure to go further up Sunday (11 November).

The spike in the number of tourists was because of Diwali vacations and the Gujarati New Year holiday. The number of feeder buses have been increased from 15 to 40 said the collector.

The state government has requested the visitors “to plan their trip according to the timing as well as the capacity at the Statue of Unity.”

A government statement had also informed visitors that the memorial would remain closed every Monday for maintenance.

The 182-metre structure is touted to be the tallest statue in the world. A high-speed lift that carries the tourists has a capacity of 5,000 persons. The viewer's gallery inside the statue is at the height of 135 metres and can accommodate up to 200 persons at one time.

“We request to the people of Gujarat to plan their visits in a way that there is no overcrowding and no one comes back disappointed from the Statue of Unity visit,” the government in a statement appealed to the tourists.