
The world's tallest statue will be unveiled to the public after nearly five years of construction on October 31.

The monument, called 'Statue of Unity' will stand at 597 feet tall (182 metres), almost twice the height of the Statue of Liberty and nearly 100 feet higher than the current record holder, China's Spring Temple Buddha.

Set on Sadhu Island in western India, the Statue of Unity reportedly cost over £450 million and is due to be officially unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the birthday of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

After nearly five years of construction, the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is set to stand at 597 feet tall - almost twice the height of the Statue of Liberty and nearly 100 feet higher than the current record holder, China 's Spring Temple Buddha

Modelled after the 'Iron Man' of India, the statue of Patel is made from a mixture of concrete and steel framework for the core, covered by an exterior cladding of bronze.

India's current Prime Minister, Narenda Modi, said the incredible statue of Patel will be a 'symbol of India rising'

Indian workers give the finishing touches to the world's tallest statue dedicated to late Indian independence leader, Patel

Surrounded by the waters of the Narmada river, the statue will stand at five times the height of Rio De Janeiro's famous statue of Christ The Redeemer and more than double the height of Russia's imposing The Motherland Calls statue in Volgograd.

Millions of tonnes of cement and steel have been shuttled to the site and recycled iron was used for the statue's foundation.

Thousands of labourers and hundreds of engineers worked on the project, Gujarat's Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said.

Along with a visitor's centre, the Statue of Unity will have a viewing gallery at 501 feet, which can accommodate up to 200 visitors at a time, offering expansive views of the surrounding area.

Adjacent to the attraction will be a three-star 128-room hotel, with restaurant and conference facilities.

The statue will stand at five times the height of Rio De Janeiro's famous statue of Christ The Redeemer (right) and almost twice the height of the Statue of Liberty (left)

The project was conceptualised by Prime Minister Modi as a memorial to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

In an ironic twist, Patel is reported to have said during his lifetime that he was against the concept of buildings and statues being built to glorify individuals.

A hotel and museum will be built around the statue to encourage visitors and tourism in the area, which is expected to generate nearly 15,000 new jobs

A view of the 'Statue of Unity' portraying Patel, who is regarded as one of the founding fathers of India

Indian workers at the construction site of the 'Statue of Unity' portraying Patel in Kevadia, 200 kilometers from Ahmadabad

Modi said in 2013 that 'I want people from all over the world to see this statue just like they go see America's Statue of Liberty or Paris's [Eiffel] Tower.

Who was Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel? Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Born in October 1875, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel played a pivotal role in India's struggle for independence. Patel united the 565 semi-autonomous states and British-era colonial provinces to form a united India. The states were given the option of joining either India or Pakistan, or choosing independence. Indian nationalists and large segments of the public feared that if these states did not agree, most of the people and territory would be fragmented. Patel organised the people of Kheda, Borsad, and Bardoli in Gujarat in a non-violent civil disobedience movement against oppressive policies imposed by the British Raj. He rose to the leadership of the Indian National Congress which led the Indian movement for independence. When World War II began in 1939, Britain made India part of the war effort without consulting Indian elected councils. The action angered Indian officials and prompted the National Congress Party to declare that India would not support the war until it had been granted complete independence. It wasn't until after the war that the British government passed an independence bill in July 1947, and independence was achieved the following month. In January 1950 India’s constitution as an independent state took effect. Patel was the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India, and died from a heart attack on December 15, 1950. Advertisement

'This was a dream for many years. Many people added new colour to this dream, they gave suggestions and after a lot of churning, this has happened.'

The official Statue of Unity website also states that it is intended to 'remind every individual of our great nation's freedom struggle.

'[Its aim is to] inspire the people of our country to inculcate Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's visionary ideologies of unity, patriotism, inclusive growth and good governance.

'This monument will not just be a mute memorial like the rest, but a fully functional, purpose-serving tribute that will spur all round socio-economic development.

'[This will be achieved] in the form of better connectivity, healthcare and education infrastructure, research centre for agriculture development and various tribal development initiatives.'

However, many have criticised the project for being a waste of money and some political parties have argued the expenditure for the statue should have gone towards other priorities like women's safety, education and agricultural schemes.

Vishal Shah wrote on YouTube in response to a promotional video: 'This is ridiculous project, what would we achieve from it?'

While Surya Vanka mused: 'Besides being an enormous waste of resources, this is a rather tasteless and gaudy project.'

Others feel the project is an important reminder of the nation's past when Patel united the 565 semi-autonomous states and British-era colonial provinces to form a united India.

Patel led the Indian National Congress which forged the Indian movement for independence, following World War II when the party put pressure on the British government to pass an independence bill in July 1947.

The party declared that India would not support the war until it had been granted complete independence.

In January 1950 India's constitution as an independent state took effect.