Sardar Patel’s Statue of Unity: The Tallest, The Grandest!

Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the Sardar Patel Statue TODAY   (31st October 2018) – The Statue of Unity, the one to have laid the foundation stone for the project on 31 October 2013 as Gujarat CM. Besides PM Modi, Chief Ministers of several BJP-ruled states are expected to attend the gala event. Gujarat has the rare honour of possessing the competitor to Global Icon (The Statue of Liberty) – The Statue of Unity! This will attract reverse tourism as Gujaratis based in the U.S. will visit as tourists whereas till now Gujaratis loved to visit the Statue of Liberty in the U.S. – their favourite. Owing to its unique features, it is certain to attract tourist from all over the world.

Sardar Patel is renowned as the architect of independent India, as he united all diverse 562 princely states to build the one great Republic of India. Shri Narendra Modi decided to pay the honourable tribute which will be cherished for centuries by the whole world and it will become a matter of pride for every Indian for this great man. Built in less than five years, it is the world’s tallest, grandest and giant statue. It is a tribute to the man who united India, Sardar Patel.

The Statue of Unity is a monument dedicated to Indian independence movement leader Vallabhbhai Patel located in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is located facing the Narmada Dam, 3.2 km (2.0 mi) away on the river island called Sadhu Bet near Rajpipla in Gujarat. The monument along with its surroundings occupies over 20,000 square metres and is surrounded by a 12 square km artificial lake. It is the world’s tallest statue with a height of 182 metres (597 ft).  Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Rashtriya Ekta Trust (SVPRET), a special purpose vehicle was established by the Government of Gujarat for its construction and the outreach programme was carried out across India starting December 2013.

Initially, the total cost of the project was estimated to be about ₹3,001 crore (US$420 million) by the Government of India. Later Larsen & Toubro won the contract in October 2014 for its lowest bid of ₹2,989 crore (US$420 million) for the design, construction and maintenance. The construction was started on 31 October 2013 and completed in mid-October 2018. It will be inaugurated on 31 October 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The monument statue represents the Indian independence movement leader and the first Deputy Prime Minister of India Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel which is constructed facing the Narmada Dam, 3.2 km away on the river island called Sadhu Bet. The total height of the statue from its base will be 240-metre consisting base level of 58 metres and statue of 182 metres. It is constructed with steel framing, reinforced cement concrete and bronze cladding.  The statue needed 75,000 cubic metres of concrete, 5,700 tonnes of steel structure, 18,500 tonnes of reinforced steel rods, 22,500 tonnes of bronze sheets for construction. In the first phase, a bridge connecting the memorial to the mainland, a memorial, visitor centre buildings, a memorial garden, a hotel, a convention centre, an amusement park, research centres and institutes is being constructed.

The Statue of Unity is designed as a naturalistic and historically accurate representation of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, wearing characteristic garments, in a walking stance.

The project includes:

• Bronze cladding on the Statue.
• Fast elevators to reduce transit time for visitors.
• The three-level base of the Statue: exhibit floor, mezzanine and roof – will contain a Memorial Garden and a large continuous museum/exhibition hall, comprising exhibits that focus on the life and contributions of Vallabhbhai Patel.
• The observation deck, situated at a height of around 500 ft from the river bed, will accommodate up to 200 people at a time. It will provide visitors with a panoramic view, enabling them to see the Satpura and Vindhyachal mountain ranges, the 212 km long Sardar Sarovar Reservoir, and the 12 km long Garudeshwar Reservoir.
• Access to the Statue via a 5 km boat ride.
• A large canopied public plaza, overlooking the Narmada River and the Statue, comprising food stalls, gift shops, retail kiosks and other amenities.
• The Gujarat government has plans to build a Shreshtha Bharat Complex near the Statue of Unity which will house Bhavans of different states. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has approached all state governments for setting up their respective Bhavans at the site.

Indeed Statue of Unity has much more to offer than meets the eye. The closest station and airport would be Vadodara which is some 90 Km away and travel time by road would be 2.5 hours followed by a boat ride of 5 Kms.

I am all set to visit, are you?

I would be visiting both most loved statues – The Statue of Liberty & The Statue of Unity in the same year – 2019! Isn’t it something unique!!

SWANKIEST EVER BHARTIYA RAIL: TRAIN 18

Indian Railways will soon usher in a new era with its first “Made-in-India” engine-less train – named Train 18. Also known as T18, this train is set to hit the tracks for trials on October 29, 2018.

Being a  big “Bhartiya Rail” fan, I could not resist myself from watching the news on Train 18, this is another story that I watch and follow all news updates from Indian Railways/ Railway Minister. I was very delighted to see the swankiest ever train, ready to run on tracks of India which is being witnessed as the replacement of Shatabdi Express, But one thing worth questioning – why it is being positioned as replacement of Shatabdi Express, which in itself is a very good train. It could have been positioned as “Concept” train for Indian travellers. Anyways…it is all set of trial run of October 29, 2018, i.e. tomorrow. It is another story that not a single Metro in Mumbai is set for a trial run till date…5 years into the making and not a single track ready completely. These also need immediate attention of concerned authorities.

Good to know, that finally “Make In India” is gaining some traction after its high profile launch in 2016 by Modiji. Train 18 or T 18 has several highlights which makes it stand out amidst the Shatabdis and Rajdhanis of this world.

So what are these highlights, I would like to share with you.

This Make-in-India train is made from the estimated cost of Rs. 100 crores and is engine-less, which can run at 160 kmph speed and is adorned with swanky interiors.

This is a significant leap by the Indian Railways in terms of technology innovation.

10 things about Train 18 that you should know about:

1. Driven by a self-propulsion module san a separate locomotive, Train 18 or T18, is capable of running at a speed of up to 160 kmph. Train 18 comes with technical features for enhanced quick acceleration.
2. The swanky 16-coach prototype without a locomotive (engine) will cut travel time by 15 per cent compared to the Shatabdi Express.
3. Developed by Chennai-based Integral Coach Factory in 18 months, the fully AC train is designed in such a way that passengers can see the driver’s cabin.
4. The estimated cost of each Train 18 vehicle is Rs 100 crore. Indian Railways’ Integrated Coach Factory General Manager Sudhanshu Mani said that subsequent production would bring down the cost compared to its current prototype.
5. Train 18 will be unveiled on October 29. A trial will be conducted for three to four days. The trial will be conducted outside the factory after which the train would be handed over to the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) for further trials.
6. The self-propelled train, fitted with CCTV cameras, would have two executive compartments in the middle with 52 seats each whereas trailer coaches would have 78 seats each.
7. Though the maximum speed of Train 18 is 160 kmph against 130 kmph of Shatabdi, the issue could be the suitability of the existing tracks. The tracks are being improved and once the tracks are fit to suit Train 18’s speed, it would reduce travel time by around 15 per cent compared to Shatabdi.
8. Train 18 has diffused lighting, automatic doors and footsteps beside GPS-based Passenger Information System.
9. The footstep in a coach’s doorway slides outward when the train stops at a station enabling passengers to alight safely with comfort. The footstep would adjust to the variation in height between a train’s floor and the platform.
10. Shatabdi was introduced in 1988 and is presently running on over 20 routes connecting metros with other important cities.

So, get set ready for your ride in Swankiest ever train by Indian Railways.

 

World’s Longest Sea – Crossing Bridge Inaugurated

Chinese President Xi Jinping inaugurated the world’s longest sea bridge connecting the financial centre of Hong Kong, the gambling hub of Macau and Zhuhai city on the mainland as Beijing steps up efforts to create a new economic base in southern China on October 23, 2018.

Described as a mega infrastructure project, the 55-km HKZM bridge, which includes a seven-kilometre underwater tunnel, was inaugurated within weeks of the opening of a high-speed rail link between Beijing and Hong Kong.

“I declare the officially open,” Xi said at an indoor ceremony in Zhuhai. He did not address the audience.

Built at a cost of $15 billion, work on the bridge began in 2009. It is expected to ease the movement of cargo between Hong Kong and southern China and boost tourism in the region.

Ahead of the inauguration, state media reported: “Made from enough steel to build 60 Eiffel Towers and enough concrete to construct 22 Chrysler Buildings, it can withstand magnitude-8 earthquakes, and is even prepared for super typhoons. This is something built to last a century of service.”

The bridge will be opened to the public on Wednesday, with state media reporting that it “will slash the travel time between Hong Kong and Zhuhai from three hours to just 30 minutes”.

The bridge links Hong Kong’s Lantau island to Zhuhai and the gambling haven of Macau, across the waters of the heavily industrialised Pearl River estuary.

“The bridge will cut the once arduous journey from Zhuhai to Hong Kong, to just half an hour, but this is just a piece of the puzzle. With high-speed rail finally connecting Hong Kong to the mainland network and infrastructure projects in progress across the Pearl River Delta, this is about multiple mega-projects knitting together an entire region,” official Xinhua news agency reported.

Access to the bridge, however, will be restricted.

“Hong Kong residents will only be granted a licence to cross into Zhuhai by car if they meet highly selective criteria, including holding certain mainland government positions or making major contributions to charities in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong. Most people will need to travel the bridge on coaches and buses,” Singapore-based Channel News Asia reported.

Building the bridge was not without its headaches, and the tunnel was one of them.

“Part of the bridge crosses two of Guangzhou Port’s shipping lanes,” Li Jiang, a project manager with HKZM Bridge Authority, explained to Xinhua. “If we were to build a bridge above these lanes, it would have to be very wide and tall.”

Compounding the problem, these shipping lanes pass right by Hong Kong airport, and any bridge tall enough to let ships pass would disrupt flight paths. “Building a tall bridge was not an option,” said Li, adding the tunnel was the solution.

“Technically speaking, we were at a loss in terms of existing long sea bridge projects that we could learn from,” said Luo Dong, vice general project manager for the Island and Tunnel Project of the bridge.

“The water conditions of the Pearl River Delta are so complicated. Building a bridge and tunnel system in this area was a real challenge.”

Courtesy: The Hindustan Times

Munich hosts 185th Oktoberfest

The visitors also enjoyed a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, inviting everybody to celebrate the Oktoberfest. Visits on weekdays and during noons and afternoons became increasingly popular and the Wiesn has regained the favour of families. Also, more senior citizens found their way to the Oktoberfest, initiated by the Wiesn-tables for elder guests by the city of Munich and the proprietors of the smaller tents. The Oide Wiesn vintage area retained its reputation as favourite place for local guests from Munich.

In fashion, the combination of traditional dirndl dresses or leather pants and sneakers was a trend. An estimated 6.3 million visitors (2015: 5,9 million in 16 days; 2017: 6,2 million in 18 days) came to the Oktoberfest, including 500.000 guests at the Oide Wiesn (2015: 535.000, 2017: 480.000).

According to data of the ATM machines, the whole world visited the Oktoberfest, the top 10 being: USA, Great Britain, Austria, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Italy, Australia, Sweden and Belgium.

The Oktoberfest post office reported an average of 500 sent postcards per day. Beer mugs mostly went to Australia, Asia and the USA, gingerbread hearts were sent to Italy and Austria and due to the beautiful weather, most guests could also send their warm winter clothes right back home.

Festival officials, carnies, vendors and tent proprietors are happy with the final results.

The increased safety measures have been optimized and gotten used to by guests and security personnel. The stewards were mostly praised for their helpfulness and friendliness.

Food and Drinks

There was an increased appetite at this year’s Wiesn: The tent proprietors reported an increase of 10% in food sales, with a big request for traditional dishes like duck, pork legs, roast pork and kässpatzen (thimble dumplings with cheese).

Special offers at noon time and street vendors also attracted many hungry guests. Summer-like temperatures also provided a high request for ice-cream.

At the Ochsenbraterei, 124 oxen (2015: 114, 2017: 127) were consumed. The Kalbsbraterei reported 48 eaten calves (2015:50, 2017:59).

According to the breweries, the guests drank 7.5 million litres of beer (2015: 7,3 million, 2017: 7,5 million), alcohol-free beverages ended with a plus of 10%.

Mugs, please!

Security personnel collected 101.000 mugs at the tent exits.

Fun rides and Carnies

The speakers of the fun ride owners and carnies reported “A great Wiesn”. Traditional family businesses like “Rund um den Tegernsee” and “Zugspitzbahn” were just as popular as new attractions.

Souvenirs

Fridge magnets and similar items were the souvenirs most sold. In the balloon department, unicorns and flamingos were the absolute favourites. At night, balloons equipped with LEDs lighted the way for Oktoberfest guests.

You can also order your favourite souvenirs online at the Oktoberfest.de Shop.

The Wiesn-Hit

This year’s newcomer hit was “Cordula Grün” by Josh, followed by revolutionaries’ classic “Bella Ciao”. Neil Diamonds’ “Sweet Caroline” or “Highway To Hell” by AC/DC still rocked the beer tents.

The official Oktoberfest-App on the rise

In its second year, the official Oktoberfest App was received very positively by visitors, tent runners and carnies. A total of 170.000 downloads and twice as many downloads as last year (80.000) show its success.

Lost and Found

By the end of the Wiesn, the Oktoberfest lost and found office counted 2.685 finds, among them: 840 passports, 460 wallets, 350 pieces of clothing, 350 phones, 300 keys, 140 glasses, 130 pieces of jewellery, 90 bags and rucksacks, 20 umbrellas and 5 cameras.

Remarkable finds were also: Both of one couple’s wedding rings, a food delivery box, a sheet for documenting accidents on your way to work from 2015, a laptop, a brochure display stand, a dog leash, golden ballerinas and a company’s internal shooting stand ranking.

Courtesy: Oktoberfest.de