Shapoorji-Pallonji to construct Ambedkar memorial

The plan to build a grand memorial for B R Ambedkar in Mumbai gained momentum with Shapoorji Pallonji and Co Pvt Ltd being given the contract.

The decision was made at the executive committee meeting of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) held in Nagpur.

The meeting was presided over by Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sumit Mallick, who is the chairman of MMRDA's executive committee.

"The teachings of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar have been a blessing for our generation and will continue to impact future generations as well. It's our privilege that his legacy is furthered by this grand memorial," said U P S Madan, metropolitan commissioner, MMRDA.

The memorial would come up at Indu Mill in Shivaji Park-Dadar. The land is adjacent to Chaityabhoomi, where the last rites of Ambedkar were performed.

On March 25, the documents to transfer 12 acres of land owned by the National Textile Corporation were handed over to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis by Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani and Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale.

On October 11, 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone to the project.

The Ambedkar memorial, which includes a huge statue of Ambedkar called the Statue of Equality, was announced by former prime minister Manmohan Singh on August 18, 2012.

Its main attraction will be a 25,000 sq ft stupa around a pond.

A dome-like structure with 24 stone ribs will be in the middle of the plot.

There will be an Ashoka Chakra covering the memorial structure.

There will also be a 39,622 square feet interactive museum displaying several aspects of   Ambedkar's life.

The memorial will have a facility to park around 400 vehicles.