India's newest marvel, the Statue of Unity, was unveiled in the western state of Gujarat today. The 182-meter-tall statue is dedicated to the Indian leader Sardar Patel who played a significant role in the nation's independence movement. Our correspondent Ravinder Bawa takes you through a journey to this landmark built at a cost of 430 million dollars.  

With the rise of the sun came to light this engineering marvel, the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Rajpipla in the western state of Gujarat. The Statue of Unity is dedicated to the Indian leader Patel who is renowned to unite over 500 princely states of India into one nation. Carved with detail in bronze, the statue was unveiled amidst Major fanfare. The tallest statue in the world is about 600 feet and was built in record time.

P.C. VYAS CHIEF ENGINEER, STATUE OF UNITY PROJECT "The first challenge was its height. Secondly, like I said, the location was in a remote stretch, and the third problem was the structure. The shape of the statue is such that the foundation is narrower than the upper body. So that was a challenge, structure-wise."

Special attention was paid to achieve the walking pose of Patel, with a gap of 6.4 metres between the two feet which was a major challenge for the architects and sculptors. The second challenge was to get the shape of the shawl, its fall and texture to make it look as real as possible. It is designed to withstand the vagaries of nature like wind and earthquakes. Thousands who came to witness this historical moment expressed their joy.

VAISHALI TAVDI CITIZEN "It is a joy to be here. The facial expression of the statue is very real, just like the face of Sardar Bhai. You can see for yourself how good it is. Both the expressions and the clothes are as close to real."

NIRMAL PURI CITIZEN "It's a significant moment for India. We feel proud to call ourselves Indians."

The entry ticket would cost about two dollars for adults and half the amount for children. There is a special deck view which entails a cost of about five dollars.

RAVINDER BAWA RAJPIPLA, GUJARAT "The unveiling of the statue has attracted videographers and photographers from both national and international media but will it be a visual delight for the tourists. About 15,000 tourists are expected here daily but with the lack of direct rail and air connectivity, how many will turn up?"

Ravinder Bawa, CGTN.