Surat's giant 'Garden clock' turns a major draw

Surat, May 5 (ANI): Though the Surat city of Gujarat has been known for its cut-diamond industry and textile units for a long time, it is perhaps going to be known as a home to the third largest clock in world too.

The one in Saudi Arabia, measuring 40 metres, and the other one at Istanbul in Turkey measuring around 36 metres, are the other two clocks bigger than this that measures 24 metres in diameter. owever, for record, the third largest clock in the world is located at Pittsburgh in the USA having a diameter of 18 metres.

Incidentally, it is claimed to be the largest 'garden clock' in the world.

As for the other two clocks, which are larger than the one at Surat, are not primarily 'time machines in a garden' as such attempts are on to endorse it as the largest garden clock in the world and enlist it in the Guinness Book of World Records.

"Well, the garden clock has been set up on the occasion of golden jubilee celebrations of Gujarat. Its diameter is about 24 metres. The cost of assembling this huge clock has been in the range of rupees 21 lakh (2.1 million rupees or 46,750 US dollars) and the machine weighs about 4000 kilograms. The time is connected with the GPS (Global Positioning System). We have annexed the GPS kit," said K S Desai, Special Project Officer, Surat Municipal Corporation.

This garden clock has come up at Navin Chandra Mafatlal Garden in the city.

The Surat Municipal Corporation commissioned this gigantic clock on the occasion of the golden jubilee celebrations of the formation of Gujarat state.

Meanwhile, the flower clock has turned a big public attraction in the city.

"I first read about this clock in the newspaper which said here we have world's biggest clock but I did not believe it. I thought it would not be that big but when I insisted on coming here today, my brother brought me here. I saw the size of the clock. I was surprised by the fact that a clock can be that big. I think this clock should be listed in Guinness Book of World Records," said Aniket, a young resident of Surat.

Incidentally, the world's largest flower clock is in Tehran with a diameter of 15 metres.

It took 13 long years for the complete landscaping of Navin Chandra Mafatlal Garden including the setting up of this huge clock before throwing it open for the general public. By harmesh(ANI)