TIRUCHY: The Tiruchy district will soon have the tallest statue in the State, with the government issuing an order to construct a 135-foot structure of Periyar, including a 40-foot pedestal, at Siruganur on the Tiruchy-Chennai National Highway.
Marking the number of years Periyar lived, Periyar Self Respect Propaganda Institution planned to construct a 95-foot-tall statue (atop a 40-foot pedestal) at Siruganur. Although the institution had, over the years, managed to obtain seven No-Objection Certificates from various departments, the project remained a non-starter for want of approval from the State government.
V Anburaj, general secretary of the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK), said: “We are very happy and thankful to the government for passing the G.O. The whole project, titled ‘Periyar World’, will be spread over 26 acres. This project will also include a library and a children’s park among others.”
The work on the concrete-statue is expected to be completed in three years. In a statement released on Monday, DK President K Veeramani thanked the government and Chief Minister MK Stalin for the approval.
Until now, the 133-foot Thiruvalluvar statue atop a small island in Kanniyakumari has been the tallest in the State. Once completed, the 135-foot structure of Periyar is expected to turn into a major tourist spot, as the site is located on the same highway leading to Kanniyakumari.