Ambedkar Smriti Vanam: Constitute high-level panel to monitor progress says CM YS Jagan

Vijayawada: Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy instructed the officials to form a high-level committee to monitor the progress of Dr B R Ambedkar Smriti Vanam works at Swaraj Maidan in Vijayawada.

Taking stock of the progress of works at a review meeting at his camp office in Tadepalli 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 informed him that the statue, to be made with 352 metric tonnes of steel and 112 metric tonnes of brass, would be installed on an 81-feet pedestal taking the total length to 206 feet.

The Rs 268-crore worth 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 of the parts of the statue, the casting has been completed which would be shifted to the project site by January 31, they explained, adding that the beautification works at the project site and also on all roads leading to it are also in full swing.

Social Welfare Minister Merugu Nagarjuna, Education Minister Botcha Satyanarayana, Chief Secretary Dr K S Jawahar Reddy, Special CS (Municipal Administration and Urban Development) Y Srilakshmi, 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.