What is the Rs 3000 crore worth, 597-foot tall Statue of Unity’s ONE weakness? Rain.
The viewing gallery of the Rs 3000 crore Statue of Unity flooded on 29 June, after a spell of rain.
The 597-foot statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was built, no expenses spared, at a budget of Rs 3000 crore in Kevadia, Gujarat, and holds the honour of being the world’s tallest statue.
But, despite the tremendous amount spent on its construction, it appears that the statue wasn’t designed to endure something as expected as rain.
Youtuber Dhruv Rathee shared a video of the statue’s viewing gallery, which shows rainfall INSIDE the 597-foot statue’s viewing gallery. Rain pours into the viewing area through the roof and the front of the gallery.
The floor of the viewing gallery shows water starting to stagnate and well up.
So was this a flaw in the design? Did the people behind the statue not plan for something as unsurprising as rain?
So, in response to the video, the Statue of Unity’s official Twitter handle replied that the statue was MEANT to be this way. This is what they said:
“The rain water 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 mantainence[sic] team. @PMOIndia @CMOGuj @drrajivguptaias”.
Earlier during the day, the Statue of Unity’s Twitter handle had shared a tweet about the rains that said, “The Statue of Unity stands as of now in its full grandeur welcoming the first showers of the monsoon.”
True, the statue was very welcoming to the monsoon. Maybe a little too welcoming, allowing it to enter straight from the sky, and settling right in the viewing gallery where tourists were walking.
What other hidden design features does the statue hold, apart from the indoor rain effect? Indoor heating during the summers? Natural air conditioning in the winters?
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