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Updated: Sep 17, 2019 14:51 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will be in Gujarat for a larger part of the day, started his day with a visit to the Sardar Sarovar Dam and the Statue of Unity. PM Modi had landed in Ahmedabad late last night to be in his home state on his 69th birthday.

This morning, PM Modi flew out to Kevadiya in Narmada district 200 km from state capital. But before landing, PM Modi’s chopper flew around the 182-metre steel and bronze Statue of Unity of India’s “Iron Man” Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

PM Modi tweeted a short 90-second video, sharing an aerial view of the statute that is billed as the world’s tallest.

Watch: PM Modi turns 69, visits Sardar Sarovar dam site & performs Narmada puja





“Have a look at the majestic ‘Statue of Unity’, India’s tribute to the great Sardar Patel,” he said. The prime minister had inagurated the statute last year to coincide with the 143rd birth anniversary of Patel, India’s first home minister.

At Kevadiya where PM Modi taking part in the ‘Namami Narmada’ festival being celebrated by the Gujarat government, the prime minister has already visited the sights around the dam including the cactus and butterfly garden. In one video tweeted by public broadcaster Doordarshan, PM Modi can be seen releasing colourful butterflies.

For the first time since the height of the dam was raised in 2017, the water level reached its highest peak at 138.68 metres on Sunday evening.

PM Modi and Chief Minister Vijay Rupani will also perform ‘puja’ at the dam site to ‘welcome’ the water of river Narmada, the lifeline of Gujarat.

The prime minister is also visiting developmental projects near the dam to boost tourism including river rafting, a jungle safari park and Ekta Nursery.

PM Modi also visited the Khalvani Eco-Tourism site. In the safari, he apparently spotted deer, news agency PTI said. PM Modi is also expected to visit Dutt Mandir at nearby Garudeshwar village on the banks of Narmada.