Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday said the construction of Chhatrapati Shivaji memorial off the Arabian Sea will be completed in three years.
The work of erecting statues and memorial of other noted personalities like Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj in Kolhapur, B R Ambedkar in Mumbai and former chief minister late Marotrao Kannamwar in Vidarbha would also be completed in stipulated time period, he said while replying to supplementary demands in the Legislative Assembly.
“It is true that the work on erecting the statue of Shivaji Maharaj was delayed due to security and environmental issues. But we will complete the project in three years,” Pawar said.
The government passed Rs 1,370 crore of supplementary demands after discussion here in the Assembly.
The issue was raised by Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Eknath Khadse, who lamented that nothing much has taken place after announcement of establishment of memorials.
“We are not against the memorials of tall personalities. But the government has failed to complete them. The government makes on budgetary provisions for the statues and memorials but what has happened to the statue of Shivaji Maharaj, Savitribai Phule statue, Dr Ambedkar memorial promised by the government?” Khadse asked.
MNS leader Bala Nandgaokar supported Khadse’s views and demanded that the statue of late Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray be erected at the gates of the Assembly.
“Balasaheb was one of the biggest leaders of Maharashtra and I have been demanding to build his statue at Vidhan Bhavan gates,” Nandgaokar said.
