Grand Dr Ambedkar memorial would be ready in a year’s time

Both Shinde and Fadnavis assured the memorial would be completed in a year's time

Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais with state CM Eknath Shinde and Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis pays tributes to BR Ambedkar on his birth anniversary. Credit: PTI Photo

Coinciding with the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s 132nd birth anniversary, the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government on Friday announced that the grand world-class memorial in Mumbai dedicated to the chief architect of the Constitution would be ready in a year’s time.

Mumbai saw a series of programmes commemorating the birth anniversary of Dr Ambedkar as Maharashtra joined the nation in paying tributes to the politician, social reformer, economist, and jurist.

Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais, accompanied by Chief Minister Shinde and his deputy Fadnavis, visited Chaityabhoomi at Shivaji Park-Dadar, where the last rites of Ambedkar were performed.

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Both Shinde and Fadnavis, who is the Finance Minister, assured that the memorial project is a priority and would be completed in a year’s time.

The memorial is coming up at the now defunct Indu Mill in the Dadar area of Mumbai, along the Arabian Sea. It would have the tallest statue of Dr Ambedkar which would be known as the Statue of Equality.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is executing the project.

It may be recalled that a tripartite agreement between the Union Ministry of Textiles, the Government of Maharashtra and the National Textile Corporation, for the transfer of 12 acres of land adjacent to the Chaityabhoomi in the Indu Mills Compound in Mumbai has been signed.

“The project would be of international standard,” said Shinde.

Fadnavis said that the project would attract Indian and international tourists. “Anyone coming to Mumbai would be visiting the memorial,” he said.