Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis (PTI Photo/File)
The grand memorial of Dr B R Ambedkar at Indu Mills compound will be completed by 2020, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday assured the legislative council. Fadnavis said, “The government is committed to build a magnificent memorial of Dr B R Ambedkar at Indu Mills compound. We will try to expedite the work and ensure its completion in two years from the day the work order has been issued.”
The work order for the mammoth project was issued on February 2, 2018 and the total cost of the project will be Rs 709 crore, he said. The chief minister was replying to a calling attention motion. MLC Prakash Gajbhiye (NCP) alleged that there was a delay in the construction and even the transfer of the entire land at Indu Mills was not complete.
Outlining measures taken by the government to seek land transfer and the centre’s clearance, Fadnavis said, “We have ensured the entire 12 acres of land at Indu Mills is allotted for the Ambedkar memorial project.” “The project is not delayed at all,” said the CM.
Fadnavis stated that the entire land, which was in possession of the National Textile Corporation Ltd (NTCL), was transfered to the state government. On April 4, 2015, a tripartite agreement between Maharashtra government, union textile ministry and National Textile Corporation Limited was reached, complete with signing of MoU for transfer of land, the CM said. The state government conveyed to the centre its decision to provide transfer of development rights (TDR). Which means for getting the Indu Mills land from NTC, state government would provide TDR instead of cash component.
The state government got the centre to award land title rights to Maharashtra government for Indu Mills land which belonged to the NTCL. In 2016, the project was originally estimated at Rs 591 crore which was revised to Rs 624 crore following a decision to provide steel structure after consultation with experts at IIT to avoid corrosion as the project was along the Dadar seashore. However, after tender scrutiny and negotiations, the final project cost came to Rs 709 crore. The contract for the project has been given to Shapoorji Pallonji Company Private Limited.
The NTCL had already issued a formal letter of approval facilitating Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to demolish the old mill structure thus paving the way for the construction of Ambedkar memorial complete with a stupa, museum and a bronze statue.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the memorial at Indu Mills on October 20, 2015. The dome shaped memorial will have a 25,000 sq ft stupa and 39,6322 sq ft museum. The memorial will include a library and auditorium and open parks.