Panel to monitor Ambedkar project

PNS|Vijayawada

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has instructed the officials to form a high-level committee to monitor the progress of Dr BR Ambedkar Smriti Vanam’s works at Swaraj Maidan in Vijayawada. Taking stock of the progress of works at a review meeting here on Friday, the Chief Minister asked them to expedite the works to ensure that the 125-feet tall bronze statue of Dr BR Ambedkar will be inaugurated on April 14, 2023, on his birth anniversary as scheduled.

The officials said that the statue, to be made with 352 metric tons of steel and 112 metric tons of brass, would be installed on an 81-feet pedestal taking the total length to 206 feet. The Rs 268-crore worth of Smriti Vanam Project will have ground plus two floors in the pedestal part besides a 2000-capacity Convention Centre with spacious car and bus parking facility.

When the officials told him that arrangements have been made to complete the casting of the statue by March 31, he said that the quality of works is non-negotiable and the progress of works should be monitored by a committee to be constituted. For some parts of the statue, the casting has been completed and would be shifted to the project site by January 31, they said, adding that the beautification works at the project site and also on all roads leading to it are also going on in full swing.

Social Welfare Minister Merugu Nagarjuna, Education Minister Botsa Satyanarayana, Chief Secretary Dr KS Jawahar Reddy, Special CS (Municipal Administration and Urban Development) Y Sri Lakshmi, Principal Secretary (BC and SC Welfare) G Jaya Lakshmi, NTR District Collector S Dilli Rao, APIIC VC and MD G Srujana and other officials were present.