World's tallest statue, twice the size of Statue of Liberty, to be unveiled in India

prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the world's tallest statue -- that of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel -- on October 31, 2018, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani announced on September 9, 2018.

October 31 also marks the 143rd birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Ironman of India.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE WORLD'S TALLEST STATUE

1. The statue will be called the 'Statue of Unity', and will be a symbol of the country's unity and integrity.

2. The 182-metre-high (600 ft) Statue of Unity will be twice the size of New York's Statue of Liberty.3. The statue is located some 200 km (125 miles) from the state's main city, Ahmedabad.

4. An army of 2,500 workers, including several hundred Chinese labourers, are tirelessly working round the clock to put 5,000 squares of bronze on the figure of Patel so it can be ready for inauguration on October 31 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.5. A 3.5 km highway will be built to connect the Statue of Unity in Sadhu Island to Kevadia town in Gujarat.

6. The Statue of Unity will have a viewing gallery at a height of 153 m, which can accommodate up to 200 visitors at a go, and will offer an expansive view of the dam and its environs.

7. It will be able to withstand wind velocity up to 60m/sec, vibration and earthquakes.

8. 22500 m ton (22500000 kg) of cement has been used to build the Statue of Unity.

9. The 29.9-billion-rupee (430 million USD) 'Statue of Unity' overlooking the isolated Sardar Sarovar Dam is a pet project of Modi. He has predicted it will attract "hordes" of tourists, as the Statue of Liberty does in New York.

10. The project to commemorate Sardar Patel was announced by Modi in 2013 when he was the chief minister of Gujarat. The BJP had collected iron, soil and water from across the country to build the statue.

11. The construction of the statue is fixed at 42 months. No escalation of labour, fuel, and the material is allowed.

12. The iron which was collected from the 'Loha' campaign was used in the foundation of the Statue.13. After completion, the statue will generate approximately 15,000 direct jobs for tribal people every year.

14. The Statue of Unity Project will also include a unique museum and audio-visual department depicting the life and times of Sardar Vallabhbai Patel

15. The statue and surrounding area will be accessed by special boats to avoid vehicular traffic and pollution

Currently, the World's tallest statue is the Spring Temple Buddha in China at 128 m (420 feet) high.