BENGALURU: The Ambedkar statue in front of the Vidhana Soudha, which was removed amid much controversy to facilitate the Metro work on the East-West corridor, is yet to be reinstalled.
The Public Works Department (PWD) is responsible for reinstating the statue. When asked about it, Secretary S B Siddagangappa told City Express, “The Social Welfare Department has to give us the green signal.”
He added that some work has to be completed at the site before the statue is reinstalled. “Once that is done, it will take us 15 days.”
Another official, however, said the reinstallation would take at least 25 days. In all probability, the statue will not be placed on the pedestal when the first Metro train chugs along the underground corridor. “The initial idea was to put it up before Ambedkar Jayanti (April 14) but there has been a delay,” the official added.
Meanwhile, Social Welfare Department Secretary Ganga Ram Baderiya said, “It is the responsibility of the Public Works Department and Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited to do it. I will make sure they comply with the High Court order in this connection.”
The Court had ordered the statue be reinstated after the Metro work is completed.
Social Welfare Minister H Anjaneya said, “The statue will be reinstalled on the pedestal shortly. We are holding talks with the various departments involved in the process.”
Meanwhile, Karnataka Dalit Sangarsha Samiti (DSS) is confident that the statue would be restored to its former glory soon. “We had a meeting with the chief minister on March 11. He assured us that the statue will reinstalled,” claimed state president N Murthy.
Metro Managing Director Pradeep Singh Kharola said talks were being held with regard to the reinstallation.
Timeline
Concerns were raised that the statue might get damaged due to the vibrations caused during the tunnel boring work at the Vidhana Soudha Metro station.
BMRCL requested the shifting of the statue to facilitate the work. Work on the station commenced in October 2010.
State Cabinet gave the green signal for the temporary removal of the statue in January 2012.
Several Dalit organisations took a march from MG Road to Raj Bhavan protesting the government’s move. Meanwhile, the underground corridor work was stalled and costs began escalating for BMRCL.
High Court directed the State on December 12, 2012 to temporarily shift the statue and restore it after the completion of Metro work.
The shift was finally done to Rose Garden on May 7, 2013.