Statue of Unity inauguration LIVE: All eyes on India as the world's tallest statue, honouring Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, is dedicated by PM Narendra Modi

Update at 12:10 PM: Prime Minister Modi visits the Sardar Patel Museum after the inauguration ceremony of the Statue of Unity

Update at 11:29 AM: PM Modi concludes his address at the inauguration ceremony of the Statue of Unity

Update at 11:20 AM: Sardar Patel wanted India to be strong, sensitive, alert and inclusive. All our efforts are in the direction of fulfilling this dream: PM Modi

Update at 11:08 AM: 'Statue of Unity is the symbol of our engineering and technological capabilities. Workers, craftsmen have worked on mission mode every day for nearly three and a half years': PM Modi

Update at 10:50 AM: Sardar Patel ensured that India is not broken into pieces: PM Modi addresses inauguration ceremony of the Statue of Unity

Update at 10:45 AM: Today will be remembered as an important day in India's history. From the earth to the skies, Sardar Patel is being celebrated today When I had conceived of this as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, I hadn't imagined that I would, as Prime Minister, have the honour of inaugurating it: Prime Minister Modi

Update at 10:40 AM: The whole country is celebrating the National Unity Day, in the memory of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel: PM Modi addresses inauguration ceremony of the tallest statue in the world

Update at 10:36 AM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses inauguration ceremony of the tallest statue in the world - India's tribute to 'Iron Man' Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Update at 10:35 AM: Visuals from the inauguration ceremony of the 'Statue of Unity'

Update at 10:30 AM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the 'Statue of Unity' and pays tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Update at 10:25 AM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is at the inauguration ceremony of the 'Statue of Unity

Update at 10:15 AM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being felicitated with flower bouquet at  the venue of the 'Statue of Unity'

Update at 9:30 AM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with staff at the 'Tent City'

Update at 9:20 AM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the 'Tent City' in Kevadia, Gujarat ahead of the unveiling of the 'Statue of Unity'

Update at 9:15 AM: Here are some of the statues that the 'Statue of Unity' dedicated to Sardar Patel will supercede in terms of height:

Update at 9:08 AM: Glimpses of the ‘Statue of Unity’ that will be dedicated to the nation shortly by PM Modi

(Source: Twitter)

(Source: Twitter)

(Source: Twitter)

Update at 9:05 AM: Post our freedom movement, Sardar Patel worked hard to get more than 550 princely states together to make India one. It's only right that we remember him today: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman flags of Run For Unity in Tamil Nadu's Chennai.

Update at 9:00 AM: PM Modi visits the Tent City (accommodation facility)

Update at 8:50 AM: Cultural events are going on at the Valley of Flowers ahead of the unveiling of the iconic 'Statue of Unity'

Update at 8:45 AM: Prime Minister Modi inaugurates the Valley of Flowers

Update at 8:35 AM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the Valley of Flowers ahead of the unveiling of the 'Statue of Unity'

Update at 8:30 AM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at Kevadia, Gujarat to unveil the 'Statue of Unity'

Update at 8:08: Sardar Patel unified the country and led the youngsters of the country. Sardar Patel was an icon of the country: Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad

Update at 7:41 AM: Union Ministers Prakash Javdekar, Harsh Vardhan, as well as sportspersons Mary Kom, Dipa Karmakar and others are present at the event where Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and Rajnath Singh flagged off 'Run for Unity'

Update at 7:36 AM: Home Minister Rajnath Singh flags off 'Run for Unity' in Delhi on the day when Sardar Patel statue will be inaugurated.

Update at 8:33 PM: Laser light show at the 'Statue of Unity'

Update at 8:29 PM: Republic TV has accessed the Prime Minister's full schedule planned to mark the unveiling of the Statue of Unity: 

• 9:00 am: Arrival at Kevadia
• 9:10 am: Visit to Valley of flowers 
• 9:50 am: Visit to Tent city (accommodation facility) 
• 10:15 am: Arrival at the venue of the program for cultural events 
• 10:20 am: Visit to the 'Wall of Unity' (topmost area of the statue) 
• 11:35 am:  Official inauguration of the statue 
• 11:45 am: Visit to the museum and exhibition 
• 12:15: Conclusion

Gazing down at the Sardar Sarovar Dam and located on a Narmada river island called Sadhu Bet, the Statue of Unity, a colossal monument dedicated to India’s first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, October 31. The day marks the 143rd birth anniversary of Sardar Patel, the Ironman of India, whose contribution towards assimilating over a hundred princely states, towns, regions, kingdoms and other such into the union of the newly established Republic of India is impossible to overstate. The monument's name is thus fitting, and so is its status as the world's tallest statue.

Here are some facts about the 'Statue of Unity':

• At a total height of 240m (including its base), it is the world's tallest statue. To put things into perspective, its height would rank it among India's tallest buildings, at around the 60-floor mark
• It will have a viewing gallery at 153 meters that will accommodate up to 200 visitors at one go. The gallery will offer an expansive view of the dam and its environs
• The statue will be able to withstand wind velocities up to 60m/second, as well as vibrations and tremors from Earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale
• The statue comprises two semi-joined, composite concrete cylindrical cores, surrounded by a structural steel space frame to support the exterior cladding
• One will be able to see the Sardar Sarovar Dam and its 200 Km long reservoir, as well as the Satpura and Vindhya mountain ranges from the viewing gallery, the official website states 
• The engineering marvel is made up of 180,000 cubic meters of concrete, 18,500 tonnes of reinforced steel, 6,500 tonnes of structured steel and 1,850 tonnes of the bronze cladding
• A 3.5 km highway has been built to connect the Statue in Sadhu Island to the Kevadia town in Gujarat
• Iron collected from the 'Loha' campaign was melted, converted to rebar and used in the foundation of the statue
• As per the official website, after its completion, the statue will generate approximately 15,000 direct jobs for tribal people
• The Shrestha Bharat Bhavan adjacent to the statue is designed to be a 128-room, 3-star hotel facility with food services, guest amenities and conference facilities 

"The Statue will stand high, not just in meters and feet, but much more in terms of academic, historical, national and spiritual values. My vision is to develop the place as a source of inspiration for ages to come", reads a message by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the official website of the 'Statue of Unity'. 

Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone for the project on October 31, 2013, when he was still the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Its work order was given to engineering and construction major L&T on December 3, 2014, and it was scheduled to be completed within 42 months.