How Statue of Unity is becoming a major tourist destination with PM Modi’s vision

Ahmedabad, Oct 30: When the Statue of Unity was inaugurated 4 years back, most people think it was only a statue. But PM Modi had a bigger vision and grander plans. He wanted it to become a hub for tourism with attractions for each age group.

As a result, more than 8 million people have visited the Statue of Unity.

Today, PM Modi will dedicate two more tourist attractions - a Maze (labyrinth) Garden and Miyawaki Forest - at Ekta Nagar.

Sprawling in three acres with a pathway of 2,100 metres, this is the largest maze garden in the country and has been developed in a short span of just eight months. The Maze Garden at Kevadia has been built in the shape of 'Yantra' that emanates positive energy. The key objective for choosing this design was to bring about a symmetry while focusing on building an intricate network of pathways. Winding through the puzzling roads of this garden will be challenging for the tourists' mind, body and senses while giving them a sense of triumph over hurdles and this activity will also instil a sense of adventure. As many as 1,80,000 saplings have been planted near this Maze Garden. These include Orange Gemin, Madhu Kamini, Glory Bovar and Mehndi.

This location was originally a dumping site for debris which has now turned into a verdant landscape.

The rejuvenation of this barren land has not only beautified the surrounding but also helped establish a vibrant ecosystem where birds, butterflies and honeybees are thriving now.

The Miyawaki Forest will be another tourist attraction for people visiting Ekta Nagar. This forest is named after the technique developed by Japanese botanist and ecologist Dr Akira Miyawaki to plant saplings of various species are planted close to each other which develops into a dense urban forest. The growth of plants is ten times faster using this method and as a result the forest developed is thirty times denser. Through the Miyawaki method, a forest can be developed in just two to three years while it takes at least 20 to 30 years through the traditional method.

The Miyawaki Forest will include the following divisions: Native Floral Garden; Timber Garden; Fruit Garden; Medicinal Garden; A Miyawaki section of mixed species ;Digital Orientation Centre.

The development of these myriad tourist attractions has been guided by the vision of PM Modi to provide tourists a holistic experience during their visit, and not remain a uni-dimensional experience.

The close association of these attractions with nature reflects the focus on the environment and highlights the significance accorded to it in our culture. A special case in point is the recently developed Maze Garden, whose design is seeped in our culture and reflects how nature is a powerful tool to spread positivity.

Other major tourist destinations at SoU include include Tent City; Theme based Parks such as Arogya Van (Herbal Garden), Butterfly Garden, Cactus Garden, Vishwa Van, The Valley of Flowers (Bharat Van), Unity glow garden, Children Nutrition Park, Jungle Safari (state-of-art zoological park) among others.