125-ft Ambedkar statue to be installed before next Jayanti

Tadepalli (Guntur District): The 125-ft tall statue of Dr BR Ambedkar would be installed well before his next birth anniversary, said Minister for Social Welfare Merugu Nagarjuna.

The reception committee of Ambedkar Memorial to be built at Swarjya Maidan in Vijayawada comprising Deputy Chief Minister Kottu Satyanarayana and Minister for Education Botcha Satyanarayana and the Social Welfare Minister met at Scheduled Castes Gurukulam headquarters here on Tuesday.

Minister for Municipal Administration Audimulapu Suresh participated in the meeting virtually.

Minister Nagarjuna said that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is determined to unveil the statue by the next birth anniversary of Ambedkar.

He instructed the officials to complete the work well before that date and instructed the APIIC officials to remove the buildings in the grounds where the statue would be installed.

Nagarjuna enquired with sculptor Naresh Kumar about the details of the statue and make sure to follow the suggestions to make changes in the 25-ft statue already installed. If they face any problems to remove the buildings, they should bring the problem to the notice of the committee.

Deputy Chief Minister Kottu Satyanarayana said that there should not be any delay in the installation of the statue.

Sculptor Naresh Kumar said that they would prepare the clay model of the statue before casting the original one. After the clearance only, wax statue would be prepared. Then bronze statue would be cast, he clarified. The sculptor invited the group of Ministers to the studio in Delhi to see the clay model of the statue. The Ministers have decided to visit the studio at Delhi.

Social welfare department secretary MM Nayak, director Harshavardhan, officials of APIIC and KPC, were present.

District Collector Dilli Rao virtually participated in the meeting.