Mumbai: Eight years after laying foundation stone, Ambedkar Memorial only 27% complete

Nearly eight years since Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for a grand Ambedkar Memorial at Indu Mills at Dadar, only 27% of the work is complete. This was confirmed by officials of the Mumbai Metropolitan  Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which is the nodal agency for the ₹1,089-cr project. April 14 will mark the 132^nd birth anniversary of Dr. BR Ambedkar.

The demand for a befitting memorial to the iconic leader has been pending for the past several years. However, the work order was issued only in February 2018 when the BJP took the initiative to commence actual work on the project on 4.8 hectares of land near Chaityabhoomi on the sands of the Shivaji Park beach where Dr. Ambedkar was cremated.

Project cost revised to ₹1,089 crore from ₹763 crore

The land belonged to the National Textile Corporation, a Central government undertaking. It was transferred to the state to build the memorial.

As per original plan, the memorial was envisaged to be completed by March 2021 at a cost of ₹763 crore. The cost was revised to ₹1,089 crore with a revised deadline of March 2024; it continues to be the deadline despite the slow pace of work. 

Memorial to accommodate 15,000 people

The memorial comprises Dr. Ambedkar’s statue, besides other facilities. At any given hour, the memorial will accommodate 15,000 people. Nearly 68% of the total area will be a green cover and the project is registered for GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) four ratings.  

In 2020, the statue’s height was increased by 100ft; it will be 450ft from the ground, with the pedestal height alone being 100ft. It will weigh around 3,000 tonnes and 4,000 tonnes with the pedestal. Except for the height of the statue, the project has not seen any changes. 

'No one has put his heart in it'

Dr. Ambedkar’s grandson Prakash Ambedkar said, “I keep getting updates on the project. I am aware that it is only 27% complete. Nobody has put his heart in it, otherwise it would have been completed by now. I will not be taking it up with the government as no one is interested.”

'Government was bluffing'

Anandraj Ambedkar, another grandson, echoed the sentiments and said that the government was only “bluffing and showing carrots'”. Anandraj said, “The government is not enthusiastic about the memorial. When I went to Delhi to see the statue, Anil Sutar (sculptor Ram Sutar’s son) told me it will take two and half years from the time the government gives consent. The government won’t be able to complete it by 2024. In the case of the Statue of Unity, the work really happened fast. We had suggested a 3,000-seat auditorium but our demand has been ignored.”

Published on: Monday, April 10, 2023, 10:48 PM IST