Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has said the proposed statue of Dr B R Ambedkar coming up at Swaraj Maidan in Vijayawada should be of the highest standards and that the statue should have a radiant spark. He held a review meeting on the proposed statue of the architect of the Indian Constitution, expected to be 125 ft tall, along with a memorial park.
"The ambience of the landscape to be developed at the memorial park should be pleasant," said Jagan. The chief minister instructed officials to display the life and times of Ambedkar at the memorial park, in addition to setting up a library, museum and a gallery. Jagan suggested that the quotations of India's first law minister should be showcased at the park with wide roads and attractive walkways.
Meanwhile, officials showed him two plans of the project through a powerpoint presentation, including the models of Ambedkar at various places across the country. They showed him Ambedkar Deeksha Bhoomi (Nagpur), Chaitya Bhoomi (Mumbai), Ambedkar Memorial (Lakhanpur) and Prerana Sthal (Noida).
The presentation focused on the design of the gallery and auditorium, even as the project is planned to be completed in 14 months.
Work on the bronze statue and the memorial park is proposed to begin in December so that the inauguration could take place on April 14, 2022, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Ambedkar.
Telangana also has a plan to construct a 125-feet tall statue of Dr B R Ambedkar at a cost of Rs 146.5 crore.