New Delhi: Ever since the Statue of Unity was inaugurated on October 31 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with much fanfare, the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel monument in the Narmada district of Gujarat has already attracted over 2 lakh tourists. Though tourists may be fascinated by the 600-feet height of the Statue of Unity, the surroundings of the Narmada river, the Sardar Sarobar dam against the backdrop of Satpura and Vindhyachal hills are no less mesmerising. To attract tourists, the Gujarat tourism department has opened online booking for not just entry to the statue site but also for tourism packages, including accommodation inside tent houses.
Located just 10 minute drive away from the Statue of Unity, a luxurious nature retreat along Panchmuli lake, Tent City Narmada, has been thrown open to tourists. The resort has travel packages for both 1 night/2 days and 2 nights/3 days and allows you to explore other local tourists spots such as the historic Shoolpaneshwar Temple and majestic Rajvant Palace.
The 1 night package rate varies between Rs 3,000 and Rs 6,000 depending on AC or non-AC tents, while the 2-nights package rate is between Rs 6,000 and Rs 12,000 on a twin-sharing basis. The package incudes food, accommodation, visit to the Statue of Unity and some cultural and entertainment programmes. Entry tickets to the Statue of Unity observation deck are, however, not included in these packages and you will have to buy them separately in case you want to take an elevator up to the chest of the statue.
The nearest city from the Statue of Unity is Vadodara, 95 kilometres (km) away. Ahmedabad is 200 km, while Surat is 154 km. The nearest village is Kevadia, 3.5 km away.
Statue of Unity tour timings:
The Statue of Unity is open for six days a week and is closed for tourists every Monday due to maintenance work. Entry to the monument opens at 9 am and closes at 5 pm.
Statue of Unity ticket price, booking process:
Tickets for visiting the Statue of Unity can be booked in online as well as offline. For online ticket booking you can visit this website and book your tickets after selecting the date and time. Each ticket is issued for two hours.
A basic entry ticket to the Statue of Unity costs Rs 120 for adults and Rs 60 for kids. It gives you entry to the valley of flower, memorial, museum and audio visual gallery, the Statue of Unity site and the Sardar Sarovar Dam.
To be able to get a bird’s eye view of the surroundings of the site from a height of about 400 feet, you need to buy a viewing gallery ticket, which also gives you access to the observation desk. This ticket costs Rs 350 for adults and Rs 200 for kids and takes you to a platform along the chest of the statue in high-speed elevators.
And if you want to do all that and beat the queue on weekends and holidays, you can buy an express ticket for Rs 1,000 per person.
New airport, railway station soon
To attract tourists from all over the country and even overseas, the Gujarat government is also planning to build an airport at Rajpipla town, about 26 km away from the Statue of Unity site. Discussions have also been held with the Railways to build a railway station at Kevadia and connect it with major cities, including Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodara.
