NEW DELHI: After schools, the AAP government appears to be on a mission to instill patriotism in every city resident. The Public Works Department (PWD) is set to install the statues of unsung heroes/freedom fighters like Subhash Chandra Bose, Swami Vivekanand, Jatin Das among others on the Siri Fort Road and other stretches as part of the government’s ambitious streetscaping project.
“When the freedom topic starts, Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Bhagat Singh are the names that first come to our mind as freedom fighters. But thousands died fighting for India’s freedom. So, the idea is to install the statues of unsung heroes with the details of their contributions and struggle and to promote history among public as well as patriotism,” said a senior PWD official, requesting anonymity.
The department will also install a concrete red sandstone information board with names of the unsung heroes with their birth dates, contributions and the movements they participated in. The boards will be installed in front of the statues. “The aim is that anyone who visits or sits and relaxes on this stretch, should take a moment and read about heroes and their contributions to the freedom movement,” explained the official.
The stretch from Chirag Dilli to Sheikh Sarai is the first ‘Deshbhakti’ themed corridor developed by PWD. The department installed the statues of Freedom Fighters Bhagat Singh and Rani Laxmi Bai. Foot Over Bridge (FOB) and the entire stretch was decorated with tricolour flags, fountains and lighting.
The officials said the same plan would be implemented on the Siri Fort Road Corridor. A 100-meter span from the Siri Fort Road red light will be revamped with landscaping, separate cycle track, walkways, street furniture for the elderly and pedestrians to sit and relax, fountain works, decorative lamps, statues, selfie points, designer lanterns, lamps and poles with tricolour light strips.
Interestingly, PWD will also use waste materials like tyres, rubber, plastics, steel and other non-biodegradable items to decorate the stretch. Unique plants will also be planted. The civil work is expected to be completed in the next month.
Moreover, PWD will revamp nine stretches across the capital with specific themes and the statues of freedom fighters will be installed and the history of that particular stretch and the surrounding area will be highlighted in the project.