Work at Kalam memorial progressing

Following the death of Abdul Kalam on July 27,2015, his body was buried at Peikarumbu which is present near his hometown of Rameswaram. At his first death anniversary function, his statue was inaugurated and central government had announced that a memorial and a knowledge centre would also be constructed near the place where he was buried. 

Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) was entrusted with the job of constructing the memorial and the knowledge centre. A sum of Rs.50 crore had been earmarked towards the construction of the memorial and knowledge centre. Officials at Rameswaram claimed that in the first phase, the memorial would be constructed at the cost of Rs.15 crore on 2.11 acres including the burial ground and the statue. The entire memorial would be constructed in an area of 1390.24 square meters. Officials have planned a display hall besides other structures in the sprawling memorial building. 

The size of the display hall will have an area of  10 x 10 m and will be 5 m high.  The construction of the memorial had commenced recently and is moving at a steady phase. The  construction activity is scheduled to get completed by July 10, 2017, well before the second death anniversary of Kalam which falls on July 27. In the second phase the knowledge centre would be constructed at the remaining cost of Rs.35 crore and the work would start after the second death anniversary in July 2017.  Planetarium, museum and other knowledge oriented centres would be constructed in the second phase claimed the officials.