Despite reducing height of Ambedkar statue, project cost increasing: Anandraj

The Maharashtra government has reduced the height of the statue of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar at the proposed memorial in Mumbai but the cost of the project is soaring, a Dalit leader alleged Wednesday.

The height of Ambedkar's statue at the proposed memorial at Indu Mill Compound was to be 350 feet originally, said Anandraj Ambedkar, leader of Republican Sena.

He is a member of an advisory committee formed by the government for the memorial. "At a recent meeting, the government informed the committee that the height of the statue would be 250 feet while the pedestal will be 100 feet high," he said. "It is an eye wash. The earlier plan has been changed," he alleged.

"The project cost was Rs 450 crore earlier, now it is Rs 750 crore. There is chaos at the governmental level over this project," he said. "I demand inquiry as the project cost is soaring. If the government does not give an explanation, we will launch a protest," he said.

(With inputs from agencies.)