Mumbai: On the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) announced the completion of structural work of all auxiliary buildings at the Indu Mill Ambedkar memorial site in Dadar.
The Rs 1,089 crore project, it said, is now moving into an advanced stage of execution. The deadline for completion of the entire project has been set to 30 November.
In 2023, the MMRDA announced the completion of the entire project in 36 months, by the end of May 2026.
On Tuesday, at Dr Ambedkar’s birth anniversary celebrations in Dadar’s Chaityabhoomi, adjacent to the Indu Mill memorial site, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that efforts are being made to complete the memorial before the end of this year.
“Before the Mahaparinirvan Din (death anniversary) of Dr Ambedkar (on 6 December), we must make efforts to try and complete the work of the Indu Mill memorial, as much as possible,” he said.
In February, Fadnavis had informed the state assembly during the Budget session that the structural work was completed at the site. What remained were completion of entrance building, lecture halls, library and auditorium, he added.
The Indu Mill memorial is being envisioned as a Shanti Sthala (peace memorial) and of the entire 12-acre site, 68 percent will be dedicated to green spaces with about 565 newly planted trees surrounding the centre.
“The grand and divine memorial at Indu Mill and other such sites will not only be prestigious for the state but for the entire country too,” Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said at Ambedkar birth anniversary celebrations.
In February, the MMRDA earmarked Rs 571.50 crore for two memorials—Ambedkar memorial (Rs 400 crore) and Balasaheb Thackeray memorial (Rs 171.50 crore).
MMRDA commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee gave a detailed insight of the green landscape at the memorial. “Equally central to our vision is sustainability. Nearly 68 percent of the 12-acre site is being developed as a green landscape, with 565 new trees being planted, alongside the preservation of a natural water body, creating an environment that is both ecologically responsible and deeply reflective,” he told the media.
At the centre of the green landscape, a 350 foot tall bronze statue of Ambedkar, The Statue of Equality, will stand atop a 100 foot pedestal. It will be complemented by 24 copper-cladded ribbed domes, along with a 6 meter wide circular ramp.
“The statue, designed with a 100-year life and built using advanced structural systems, stands as a testament to India’s engineering capabilities. The pedestal and associated spaces are being developed as immersive, knowledge-driven environments,” Mukherjee told the media.
“The entire spiral pathway leading up to the pedestal—right up to the statue’s feet—will be temperature-controlled, ensuring a safe and comfortable experience for all followers and visitors, even in peak weather conditions.”
Five lifts will take visitors all the way to the statue’s base.
An auditorium with a seating capacity of 1,000 people, a research centre, exhibition halls, lecture halls, library, conference halls, parikrama path, souvenir shops, waiting room, canteen, administrative office, toilets will be part of the construction. Additionally, there will be a meditation centre spread on 1,050 sq m of area.
After construction began in February 2018, the project faced challenges such as redesigning of the structure as a result of height enhancement of the statue. Initially, the project was to be allocated Rs 763 crore but the costs kept rising over the years. Constraints were experienced during the Covid pandemic.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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