Kevadia

Kevadia, officially known as Ekta Nagar, is a town of 6,800 people (2011) in South Gujarat, India. It is best known for the Statue of Unity, a colossal statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Understand
Kevadia is along the northern banks of the Narmada River. The small village turned into town when a colony was built for workers during construction of the gigantic Sardar Sarovar Dam. A new village Navagam was also built nearby to accommodate workers and displaced people. The town was a minor tourist spot due to dam but when the Statue of Unity was built in 2010s, it became one of the top tourist spots in the country. Gradually more and more attractions were added and other nearby tourism facilities were developed.

The local population is chiefly of tribal origin and reside in nearby villages in forests and hills. They come to town for employment and doing small businesses. Most street vendors belong from these tribal communities. They have their own culture and customs. Many of them faced displacement when the dam was built.

By plane
The nearest airport is at Vadodara which is 91 km (1.5 hr) from Kevadia by road. Other airports include Ahmedabad and Surat which are 198 km (3.5 hr) and 156 km (3 hr) away respectively from Kevadia by road.

By train
Trains are the easiest and least costly way to reach. People can board trains from Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Varanasi, Rewa in Madhya Pradesh, Ahmedabad, and Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh. Check your train timings and plan accordingly.

By bus
There are bus stands at both the station and the Bus Bay for state-operated GSRTC buses. Some private luxury bus operators provides packaged tour from Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Surat who drop you at the parkings.

By car
The roads leading to Kevadia are excellent. From Bharuch, from NH48, catch SH64 and than SH5 to reach Garudeshwar. From there, a four-lane road takes to Kevadia.

Get around
No private vehicles are allowed in the Statue of Unity restricted zone beyond Ekta Dwar except parking lots and if you are going to Tent City. If you drove in, park at one of the three parkings, buy/have tickets and use the free bus service.

Ticket

 * Basic Entry Ticket offers access to the Statue of Unity monument, museum and exhibition, Valley of Flowers, Sardar Sarovar Dam, Projection Mapping Show and free bus service from parking to the statue. ₹150 for adults and ₹90 for children between 3-15 years.
 * Viewing Gallery Ticket offers Basic Entry Ticket benefits plus access to Viewing Gallery within the statue located 500 ft above from where one can see Sardar Sarovar Dam surrounded by Vindhya and Satpuda mountain ranges. You can see inside constructions of the statue. ₹380 for adults and ₹230 for children. Time slots are allocated in online tickets to visit Viewing Gallery. Only 7000 tickets per day.
 * Express Entry Ticket offers Viewing Gallery Ticket benefits plus no wait for elevator to go up the gallery. On some crowded days, elevator waiting can be hours long. ₹1030 for all age.
 * Foreigner Express Entry Ticket for foreign tourists includes all benefits of Express Entry Ticket. ₹1530 for adults and ₹830 for children.
 * Note:
 * Book tickets online from Official Website in advance. Offline tickets are available from the
 * The Projection Mapping Show in the evening can be viewed from sitting arrangements at or from . The location needs to be decided while booking tickets. If you need to leave fast and early, choose Helipad Ground.
 * Please check restricted items from the website which are not allowed in the Statue of Unity complex. You need to deposit your belongings at the or.
 * Tickets can be upgraded at a counter at the exhibition hall of the Statue of Unity monument so buying Viewing Gallery Ticket is good enough and can be upgraded later depending on the crowd you find at the exhibition hall. Though there is nothing special about the views from the Viewing Gallery, you can choose to go if there is not much crowd. Express Ticket is not worth at all.

By bus
Free Bus Service ply along the route as below. You need to have any type of Statue of Unity ticket to use it. 45-seat Volvo Buses. Every 15 min. Note: Do not catch Eco-Tourism/Circular Route Buses. There are two bus tours listed below, Ektanagar Circular Route Bus Tour and Khalwani to Zarwani Eco-Tourism Bus Tour, which provides access to most attractions.

By car
The places near Ekta Gate and on the opposite bank of the river which are outside restricted zone can be visited by private vehicles. There few fuel stations here so please check your fuel and refill at or

By autorickshaws
Alternatively, you can hire pink electric auto-rickshaws run by local women for fixed charges between locations. Hire from Bus bay, Valley of Flower and Shresth Bharat Bhavan Bus Stops.

Eat
Most food joints in the area provides fastfoods, refreshment drinks and ready dishes. Hawkers and local vendors offer snacks, fruits and vegetable salad dishes which supports their livelihood and are more healthy food. Local cabin shops offer packaged pouches of snacks, tea and biscuits. Such vendors are found opposite the Statue of Unity avenue and on the way leading to Dam View Point No. 3.

Stay safe
If you are visiting on sunny days, please apply sunscreen lotion (SPF40) on your skin to protect yourself from the bright sun rays. Bring ORS packs or lemonade to stay safe from the dehydration in the summer. Use a cap or headscarf. Free drinking water is available at several places so bring your own water bottle for refill. It saves you money as well as environment! A baggage counter is located at Bus Bay where small/medium sized bags can be deposited for free. Hand purses are allowed in the Statue of Unity complex and elsewhere.

Go next

 * Vadodara