Tourists have been sharing videos of puddles on the floor and water dripping off the roof.
Visitors thronging the Statue of Unity, the world's tallest statue, in the past few days are being greeted to an unusual sight: a flooded viewing gallery and water dripping from the roof of the exhibition halls.
Tourists have been sharing videos of puddles on the floor and water dripping off the roof.
Inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October 2018, the Statue of Unity was built at a cost of nearly Rs 2,389 crore. It was completed in 3.5 years, although the foundation stone was laid in October 2013 by Modi who was then the chief minister of Gujarat.
Officials accountable for the upkeep of the 182-metre structure were quick to point that the viewing gallery that can accommodate nearly 200 people at any given time was designed in such a way that it was bound to get flooded. The viewing gallery, at a height of 135 metres, has a grill frontage which allows winds to blow in water during heavy rains, said officials.
Several of those who shared videos on social media, however, expressed displeasure.
1. Viral video of dripping roof at Statue Of Unity
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The viewing gallery of #StatueOfUnity was flooded with water leaking from the roof & front after a spell of rain.
— Raksha Ramaiah (@RakshaRamaiah) June 29, 2019
Is the design of a 3,000 Cr statue so ill-thought out that it can’t even prevent this!
As usual - Lofty Promises, Tall Claims But Deplorable Delivery! pic.twitter.com/bf7J1zdhT1
2. Tourists left disappointed
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Visitors thronging the Statue of Unity, the world's tallest statue, in the past few days are being greeted to an unusual sight: a flooded viewing gallery and water dripping from the roof of the exhibition halls.
"We had come with great hope to see the worlds tallest statue. But we are feeling bad looking at the statue in the rain. It has not rained heavily, and already the main hall and viewing gallery of the statue is filled with water. It is unfortunate," a tourist at the site told reporters.
3. ‘It’s been designed that way’
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IK Patel, CEO of Statue of Unity, said the flooding was not due to leakage but the memorial is designed that way. "You can't call it a leakage. The water is entering the viewing area because it is open so as to allow visitors to get a view of things. It cannot be covered. So the flooding is because of the design and not leakage," Patel told the media.
"The viewing gallery is open with grills on the chest of the statue. The rear side of the gallery is covered by glass. The front view is open as per design. So it is natural that water will enter when it rains," Patel, Narmada Collector who is also the chief administrator of the Statue of Unity, said.
Patel added, "There is a channel to dispose of rainwater. But when the wind speed is more, lots of water comes in and house-keeping personnel continuously drain it out. It is not leakage as is being claimed."
He, however, did not elaborate on the leakage in the exhibition halls which are at the base of the statue. The officials have apparently asked L&T, the company that built the statue, to stop the leakage.
4. 'Rainwater blown by high-velocity winds'
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The Statue of Unity stands as of now in its full grandeur welcoming the first showers of the monsoon.@PMOIndia @CMOGuj @drrajivguptaias pic.twitter.com/zOTCLaYo0H
— Statue Of Unity (@souindia) June 29, 2019
The rainwater has been blown by high-velocity winds inside the viewing gallery It’s by design that it has to be kept open for a better view which tourists can enjoy Water accumulation is being promptly tackled by the maintenance team @PMOIndia @CMOGuj @drrajivguptaias
— Statue Of Unity (@souindia) June 29, 2019
5. 182-metre statue built at cost of nearly Rs 2,389 cr
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The Statue of Unity, a 182-metre memorial to Sardar Patel in Kevadiya in Narmada district, is the tallest structure of its kind in the world and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 31 last year.
The statue was built at a cost of nearly Rs 2,389 crore. It was completed in 3.5 years, although the foundation stone was laid in October 2013 by Modi who was then the chief minister of Gujarat.
6. Social media reacts: Couldn’t even design it to prevent rainwater
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Viewing Gallery of 3000 crore Statue of Unity
— Dhruv Rathee (@dhruv_rathee) June 29, 2019
One rain and it gets flooded, water leaking from the roof and front. Such an expensive statue and they couldn’t even design it to prevent this.. pic.twitter.com/V4pUQxNVS2
Water leaking in 3000 crore Sardar Patel’s statue of unity because of Nehru. pic.twitter.com/N6bdQBM7aB
— TheAgeOfBananas (@iScrew) June 29, 2019
Government needs to act fast #statueofunity #sardar #Divyabhaskar pic.twitter.com/sBByHWQE0P
— Pranav golwelkar (@PranavGolwelkar) June 29, 2019
GoG officials say, that was not leak, in fact special arrangements were made so that visitors can enjoy drizzling from within the statue. And see the bankruptcy of their intellect, they have released such pictures managing some people drenching from viewing gallery. pathetic. pic.twitter.com/5H7Ut7YXRg
— Chintan Acharya (@chintan_acharya) June 30, 2019
He wasted #3000crores on #StatueOfUnity, now I seen on you tube, it's leaking, if #SardarPatel would have been alive he would not have been happy but embarrassed seeing the statue, he would have loved that money to be spent for #Education #infrastructure #farmers etc.
— Chandraprakash Tripathi (@IdeologyFight) June 30, 2019
pic 1 :- rain to statue of unity
— soutweets (@Soutweets) June 30, 2019
pic 2 :- meanwhile tourist's opinion
pic.twitter.com/pNtzP9O6Vp
Someone : Statue of Unity is not that high ..
— Memeकाpattaकड़वाhai (@Swap_nil_09) June 30, 2019
Statue of unity : pic.twitter.com/AwuUlJkwGW
