Mumbai; Prime Minister will perform the ground-breaking ceremony of Chhatrapati Shivaji memorial in the Arabian Sea in May, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said today.
“Since the area of the ‘Shiv Smarak’ (the project) is small, the timing of ‘bhoomipujan’ (ground-breaking ceremony) will be decided keeping in mind the low tide,” the Chief Minister said at a gathering here after inaugurating the project office and emergency management plan cell for the memorial.
“Besides due to a shortage of space the programme will be a short affair and the function will be held on a large scale at some other place,” he added.
“Shivaji Maharaj himself loved discipline and planning and thus the work of the memorial will proceed at a fast space and will be completed within a stipulated time,” he said.
Noting that his government could get all the permissions which were pending since the last 15 years, in just 12 months, Fadnavis assured that all the work will be completed as planned.
“As announced we are committed to build this grand memorial in 40 months and the project consultant has been appointed already,” the CM added.
Vinayak Mete, Chairman of the Shiv Smarak committee, who was also present, said the first tender will be floated in the first week of May and the ‘bhoomipujan’ will be performed in the first half of May itself.
“I urge the CM to seek the appointment of the Prime Minister at the earliest,” he added.
In its Budget, the Maharashtra government had recently announced Rs 100 crore for the construction of the memorial dedicated to the Maratha warrior king and has set a target of 2019 to complete the project.
PTI