Modi to attend Statue of Unity's first anniversary

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday will pay tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 144th birth anniversary at Kevadia colony, Narmada district at the site of Statue of Unity in a grand celebration.

It will also mark the first anniversary of the 182-meter tall statue, claimed to be world's tallest. Modi had inaugurated it on October 31, 2018.

Modi is expected to land in Ahmedabad on Wednesday night at around 8:30 and would stay in Gandhinagar.

On Thursday, he will be participating in several events lined at Kevadia that includes participating in Ekta Diwas Parade and interaction with civil service probationers of 2019 batch who are undertaking first-ever foundation course called "Aarambh" (Beginning).

Nearly 500 probationers are undergoing the training at the tent city built around the statue.

This will be Modi's second visit at the site in less than two months.

Modi had visited the statue last month after waterlevel of Sardar Sarovar Dam's reservoir had crossed its highest mark.

The statue is standing right next to the dam. In the past year, the site has been buzzing with delegates visiting the structure which is being developed as a major tourist destination. Gujarat as well as central government have been trying everything to popularise it among the tourists.

Earlier this month, figures released by the government claimed that in the past one year over 26 lakh tourists visited the statue which fetched Rs 55 crore from selling tickets.

The government has spent Rs 3,000 crore to build the giant statue. The government has several other plans to bring more facilities to attracting tourists. These developments are also threatening local tribal villagers of eviction from their home.

The government has so far built children nutrition park, dinosaur trial, boating in the Narmada river and built a forest which it calls "Global Forest" that will have flora of across the seven continents.