Gujarat: Statue of Unity viewing gallery to be enclosed after monsoon mess

With the onset of monsoon in June, the viewing gallery of the world’s tallest statue that stands at 182 metres made news for puddles and water dripping from the ceiling. Tourists who visited the gallery circulated videos, expressing their disappointment. Officials initially stated that rainwater would enter the gallery that left open for tourists to enjoy the view of the Narmada dam and the Vindhya mountain range. However, excessive criticism from tourists forced the management to take remedial measures.

According to officials, the SVPRET, which manages the Statue of Unity, has invited design suggestions to close the gallery while keeping the aesthetics in mind.

“Initially, there was a proposal to make the gallery an air-conditioned glass enclosure. But the design team decided to leave it open for tourists to enjoy the natural weather from that height. So, only the part of the gallery behind the statue was enclosed with glass while the gallery at the chest was left open. What was not anticipated was the trouble tourists would face during rains. We received several complaints from tourists who got drenched as rainwater entered the gallery during the downpour. So a rethink was necessary,” an official in the know said.

The gallery, located at 153 metres, gives tourists a view of the breadth of the Narmada Dam. Officials also said that while a glass enclosure could be one option, the team is also exploring other ways to protect it from rain. “A formal proposal to cover the gallery will be made after taking into account other factors as it should not affect the design. Most certainly, the aluminium sheets cannot be a permanent solution,” the official said.