Cost of constructing Ambedkar memorial, at Mumbai’s Indu Mills, likely to rise

Memorial gets only one bidder for the second time, who has quoted a cost of Rs783 crore to MMRDA’s estimated Rs622 crore

The cost of constructing a memorial in honour of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar is likely to rise, as the only bidder for the project has quoted a rate that is 26 per cent higher than what was estimated by the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA), the nodal agency implementing the project.

To be constructed on 12 acres of land at Indu Mills in Dadar, the memorial will be a stone’s throw from Chaityabhoomi. (HT File)

After many cost variations, in the end of June, the MMRDA floated tenders worth Rs 622 crore. However, it received one bid for the second time in a row, from the Shapoorji Pallonji group. If the bid is approved, the cost of the project will rise to around Rs783 crore.

“We are trying to negotiate with the bidder, but ultimately, the final decision rests with the state government,” said a senior official from the MMRDA, on condition of anonymity.

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To be constructed on 12 acres of land at Indu Mills in Dadar, the design for the memorial includes a 350-feet statue of Dr Ambedkar, a library, a replica of the historic Chavdar pond in Raigad, a number of viewing points for the memorial, and a parking lot. The memorial will be a stone’s throw from Chaityabhoomi, where his ashes were interred. Lakhs of people visit Chaityabhoomi on December 6 every year to pay respect to the Dalit leader.