THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The city is all set to get a full-size, 11 feet tall statue of communist leader A K Gopalan. And as a befitting tribute, the statue is being placed in the park commemorating his name, the AKG Park at Pottakuzhy in Pattom.
The statue carved by artist Kanayi Unni at Kannur will be brought to the capital in a grand procession set to begin on Sept 7 and be made ready for installation and unveiling here on September 9.
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The AKG statue cost `15 lakhs which was fully borne by the Corporation. The civic body has taken up this kind of work for the first time. Done in clay, the statue is encapsulated in fibre mould and then given a glass envelope.
This is the first time that a full-size AKG statue is coming up in the state,” said V S Padmakumar, Works Standing Committee Chairman of the city corporation.
The work of the statue began four months ago. The artist Kanayi Unni whose hands were behind its making has finished a statue of former Chief Minister and Congress leader K Karunakaran as per demands of the Thrissur corporation.
With the arrival of the statue, the AKG park will undergo major upgradation. A part from the park’s area has been handed over to the Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB) for widening the surrounding road. An open air auditorium and the landscaping works at the park are currently in progress.
Officials with the KFRB have plans to complete the work prior to the the unveiling of the statue which will take place on Monday.
During the procession which will witness a huge crowd, the statue will receive a grand reception at the revenue district headquarters with a floral tribute, officials said.