Gujarat government to help build Ayodhya Ram statue

LUCKNOW: The proposed massive statue of Lord Ram to be built in Ayodhya will come up with the help from

Gujarat

government. The cabinet on Saturday decided UP government will sign an MoU with Gujarat government to provide technical assistance for the construction of the statue.


"We will take inspiration from the Gujarat model under which Sardar Patel statue was built. The area around the statue will have a digital

museum

, interpretation centre,

library

, parking, food plaza, landscaping etc.," said government spokesperson Shrikant Sharma.

The Gujarat government had unveiled the 182 m high statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, known as the Statue of Unity, the tallest in the world, in October 2018. Details about the statue of Ram are not yet known as a high-powered committee led by chief minister Yogi Adityanath will decide the details. Ram V Sutar, who designed the Statue of Unity, was also being expected to be roped in to design the statue of Ram.

It will take a minimum of three years to build the statue, which will be financed entirely by corporate social responsibility funds. Additional chief secretary Avnish Awasthi said that a 28 hectare plot of private land is being acquired next to Saryu river for the project.

"The

infrastructure

itself will cost around Rs 300 crore. The cost of the statue is not yet final since its specifications are not yet decided. We will try and complete the project within three years," he said.

The cabinet has approved expenditure of Rs 200 crore for land acquisition, testing, design development and project report. Awasthi said that a trust, headed by the CM and registered under the Societies Act, exactly like the trust set up for the Statue of Unity, will be set up.