OPS reviews Jaya memorial plan

Food Minister R Kamaraj and Chief Minister’s Secretary M Sai Kumar along with senior PWD officials and police officials were present at the site during the inspection. The Deputy Chief Minister was shown the proposed models and the artists’ rendering during the inspection. 

The planning permission was allotted by the CMDA on March 20 and its green light was followed by the environmental clearance on Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ). 

According to the PWD officials, the government had sanctioned funds of Rs 50.08 crore for the memorial behind former chief minister MG Ramachandran’s memorial. “We have floated tender in this respect and handed over the work to construction firm Krishnamurthy and Co for Rs 43.63 crore. Construction will soon begin once the agreement is finalised,” said a PWD official. 

As per the proposal, the government has decided to construct the memorial in three parts – a memorial, a museum and knowledge park which will have amenities such as purified drinking water among others. 

The main construction would be carried out in an expanse of 50,000 sqft and this includes the main memorial which will come up in an expanse of 10,000 sq ft and the structure’s height will be 45 ft. As much as 6,000 sqft would be used to setup a decorative fountain and about 96,000 sqft would be allotted to develop greenery. Old structures in the existing memorial will be demolished to an extent of 7,000 sq ft. 

AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam and joint co coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami had earlier in a statement said that the ceremony would be held at the memorial of the late chief minister on the Marina beach at 8.30 am on Monday. 

The two leaders said Jayalalithaa had served as chief minister for 16 years, adding that she had strived for the well-being of Tamils and the Tamil language. Jayalalithaa, admitted to a hospital in September 2016, breathed her last on December 5 that year.