On Thursday, a senior team from the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs visited several locations within the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal campus for plans to construct a memorial to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
However, no final decision has yet been made as to where the monument will be erected.
Rashtriya Smriti Sthal is an area along the Yamuna River designated as a memorial site for deceased leaders.
According to reports, the government has shortlisted two locations for the former prime minister’s memorial: Ekta Sthal around Rashtriya Smriti Sthal or Vijay Ghat. The ministry said it has presented its recommendations to the former prime minister’s family.
Meetings have been held between officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Urban Affairs to finalize the location of Singh’s memorial.
Ekta Sthal is the home of former President Giani Zail Singh’s Samadhi. Vijay Ghat houses a monument to India’s second Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri.
Vijay Ghat is located on the main ring road near Rajghat (Mahatma Gandhi Memorial). Ekta Sthal is located between Shanti Van (Jawaharlal Nehru’s Samadhi) and Vijay Ghat along the Rajghat. Rashtriya Smriti Sthal is located near Ekta Sthal.
CPWD officials visit Rashtriya Smriti Sthal
Earlier, Central Public Works Department (CPWD) officials also visited places around the Sanjay Gandhi Memorial, Rashtriya Smriti Sthal and identified several locations of the memorial.
The government has been in touch with the former prime minister’s family and is discussing three or four options for the location of the memorial, he said. Officials said everything would be done in consultation with Singh’s family.
The center will establish a trust before allocating the selected land as a monument. The government has already communicated its intention to erect a memorial to the former prime minister’s family.
The center will establish a trust before allocating the selected land as a monument.
Singh, a driving force behind India’s economic reforms, died on December 26 at the age of 92 due to age-related complications.
The Center agreed to Congress’ request for a memorial to Singh. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticized the government for performing Singh’s last rites at Nigambod Ghat, calling it disrespectful to the former prime minister.
