Dr BR Ambedkar memorial to be delayed by two and a half years
The delay in the finalisation of the design of the statue is expected to further slowdown the project. Though remaining work including pedestal structure, parking lot, library, seminar hall are more than 70-80% complete, the actual work on the statue is yet to begin.
Mumbai: Dr BR Ambedkar memorial at Indu Mills in Dadar, which was announced to be completed by next year ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, is expected to get delayed as the 350-ft tall statue might take at least one and a half years more to complete.
On April 6, a state committee comprising members of Ambedkar family will visit Sahibabad in Ghaziabad, where the statue is being made, to give a nod to the design.
After conceptualising the grand memorial over a decade ago with an estimated budget of over ₹1,100 crore, the memorial on 4.84 hectares of land was expected to be completed in 2024 as per its revised deadline.
The delay in the finalisation of the design of the statue is expected to further slowdown the project. Though remaining work including pedestal structure, parking lot, library, seminar hall are more than 70-80% complete, the actual work on the statue is yet to begin.
During their meeting at the site in November last year, chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had announced to complete the project in two years.
After reservations raised on the design of the statue, the state government had appointed a committee of leaders including union minister Ramdas Athawale, Dr BR Ambedkar’s grandson Prakash Ambedkar, his brother Anandraj Ambedkar, former miniser Sulekha Kumbhare, RPI Gavai faction’s head Rajendra Gavai among others. The committee is now visiting Sahibabad, on April 6, where the statue will be made at the studio of Ram Sutar Fine Arts Private Limited (RSFAPL).
Anandraj Ambedkar, grandson of Dr BR Ambedkar, said, “A 22-ft replica of the statue has been created by the sculptor, who will begin the work on the statue once the design is approved by the committee. We expect the work on the statue to begin at the earliest,” he said.
Shashi Prabhu, architect for the project, said, “The remaining work, other than the statue, is expected to be completed before monsoon as it is almost 80% complete. The erection of the statue is a task for us, but it needs to be approved by the state-appointed committee.
“The 350-ft tall statue is of large scale with its thumb about 6 feet tall. The material made in pieces in Gaziabad will be assembled and erected at the site. We will need at least one and a half years for the erection of the statue once its parts are here.”
Anil Sutar of RSFAPL, which has been making the statue, said, “Once the design is approved by the committee, the actual work of preparation and erection will take two and half a year. The change in size of the statue from 250 ft to 350 ft, change in the government delayed the plan.
“It will be made in Sahibabad in pieces and then will be assembled and erected at the site of memorial. It is going to be the tallest Dr Ambedkar statue.”
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