Telangana mulls colossal statue of Ambedkar at NTR Garden

Hyderabad: Not just constructing a new secretariat complex, the TS government now wants to revive the four-year-old proposal to install the statue of Dr B R Ambedkar at NTR Gardens, which it claims, would be the biggest Ambedkar statue in the country.

When the project was conceived in 2016, the state government had thought of seeking Chinese expertise. But now it wants to make it as Atmanirbhar Bharat project. Top officials said that the implementing agency - Scheduled Castes Development department -- has been asked to renew the proposal to set up a giant statue of Ambedkar and a museum on the sprawling 11-acre land at NTR garden.

Officials said that SC Development Minister K Eshwar began holding meetings with top officials of the R&B wing and also SC Development Secretary Rahul Bojja on the creation of a museum and the statue. It is learnt that the government is keen to develop the statue indigenously by tapping the local talent. A detailed plan of action is being prepared after seeking a final nod from the Chief Minister on seeking the assistance from the foreign experts. The preliminary estimations indicate that it would require around Rs 100 crore to set up Ambedkar museum and the statue, officials said, adding that the Martyrs Memorial which was under construction near the NTR Garden, new Secretariat complex and the proposed Ambedkar statue will emerge as a hub of the most attractive tourist spot in Hyderabad once all the works are completed.