Dr Ambedkar’s ‘Statue of Equality’ at Indu Mill in Mumbai to be taller than Statue of Liberty in the US. The estimated cost of the proposed grand memorial has gone up from Rs 425 crore to nearly Rs 900 crore although the construction of the memorial is not yet started. The 350 feet giant bronze statue of Ambedkar is called ‘Statue of Equality’—to mark the contribution of the Dalit icon’s fight against social injustice.

The idea of the statue is by the Social Justice Minister Rajkumar Badole. Ambedkarites want to name the Statue of Equality something along the lines of ‘Statue of Unity’, the name coined for Sardar Vallabhai Patel’s statue. Minister Rajkumar Badole recently submitted a new design of the memorial to Mumbai CM Devendra Fadnavis, who is yet to approve it.

The top official from the social justice department said that “This Statue of Equality would be taller than the Statue of Liberty in the US which is 330 feet tall.”

The bhumi pooja for the memorial is done by the PM Narendra Modi in the month of October 2015. However, things were not yet started as the state is yet to get possession of the 12-acre land at Indu Mill-6 in Dadar, which is still under the National Textile Corporation.

While Badole remained unreachable, the architect for the project, Shashi Prabhu, confirmed the inclusion of a 350 feet (120 m) tall bronze statue of Ambedkar and also the possible escalation of the cost. He refused to cite the exact figure and said  that the new design is pending for the approval.

Prabhu said that “Since no company in India has the expertise to make such a big bronze statute, we have to get it done from China. It’s not possible to speculate the cost. It could be Rs 300 crore to Rs 500 crore or even more”. He also added that “The world’s tallest statue—one of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (182 m)—is being made in Gujarat. The project would cost Rs 3,500 crore for which Gujarati community in the US is extending help.

In the original design for the Ambedkar statue, it had a huge stupa-like dome around a pond, topped by 24 stone ribs. However, in the new model, the grand statue replaces the dome. It would be surrounded by a skywalk cum viewing deck. Besides this, a lotus-shaped floating library, an auditorium, a meditation space, a museum and an open-air plaza for light and sound shows would be the other major attractions.

“The entire memorial site is conceived as an oasis of calm featuring various gardened spaces that reflect the spirit and the persona of the great leader,” said Atul Prabhu, partner at Shashi Prabhu associates

He also said that “The sea front is proposed to be developed into a beautiful promenade where public can spend their evenings taking a stroll or simply sit and enjoy the view by the sea. The waterfront is visualised as an extension of the stretch, linking it all the way up to the Chaitya blooming site.”

Features of the New Proposed Plan:

• In the centre, a statue in bronze, measuring 350 feet, that stands on a circular pedestal building housing the visitor hall, a library, a cyclorama theatre and an art gallery.
• A library building simulating the appearance of a lotus floating on water, at the base of the statue.
• A museum dedicated to Ambedkar’s life, at the base of the statue.
• An open air plaza space for light and sound shows like the Chaudhar tal event.
• An auditorium for hosting large conventions and meetings.
• Space for meditation
• 450-car parking space in the basement and dedicated bus parking bay for large groups.

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