The railways ran a special "unity" train to ferry about 1,000 people from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to Narmada district in Gujarat, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a 182-metre-tall statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to mark the late leader's 143rd birth anniversary Wednesday, a senior official told news agency PTI.
Sardar Patel's Statue of Unity in Gujarat's Narmada district is twice as tall as the Statue of Liberty in the US. Iron was collected from all over the country to build the statue.
"The train with over 1,000 passengers left Varanasi yesterday and reached Gujarat just in time for the people to see the prime minister unveil the statue. This was a special train to mark the 143rd birth anniversary of Sardar Patel," Northern Railway Spokesperson Deepak Kumar told new agency PTI.
Several Union ministers participated in the "Run for Unity", organised across the country today to mark the occasion. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal led the commemorative "Run for Unity" in the national capital.
"This tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in the form of the Statue of Unity finally recognises his contributions to our national unity and solidifies his legacy in the history of this nation.
"There were more than 550 princely states in this nation that were united by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, making the India we know today. Imagine if this had not happened, we would have to take permission from every state to run trains across their jurisdiction," Mr Goyal said.
The railways also ran a special train from Gujarat to Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu today as a show of unity, symbolising the journey of the Indian Railways from one part of the country to another, Mr Kumar said.
"Incredible Engineering Feat": Bill Gates Visits Statue of Unity In Gujarat "Politics Of Appeasement Biggest Hindrance In Our Development Journey": PM Modi Seaplane Service To Statue Of Unity Discontinued In 2021, Gujarat Assembly Told Nurse Raped, Killed On Way Home, Body Found 9 Days Later In UP "Don't Expect Anything From Me": Kolkata Hospital's New Principal Loses Cool "Took Advantage Of His Addiction": 5 Charged Over Matthew Perry's Death US Delegation Led By Top Diplomat Richard Verma To Visit India Tomorrow 6.3 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Taiwan: Weather Agency Relationship With India Remains One Of Great Importance: Pentagon Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.