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made available. ‘‘The
whole process may take a couple of months,’’ says an
engineer with the CPWD.
The
monument, a towering steel structure with a globe in the
centre, was considered an eyesore by art lovers and urban
planners who felt it was too pompous and gaudy to fit the
sombre mood of a memorial for police martyrs.
Following a petition by some art lovers earlier this year,
the Delhi High Court stayed the construction of the monument
and asked the Delhi Urban Arts Commission, a body that, in
consultation with the government, had approved of the
structure, to review the height of the memorial.
In March, the government decided to shift the current
structure to a more appropriate place and construct a new
police memorial on the existing site within 18 months.
However, this time the government is making sure that the
design is in harmony with the surroundings and does not
dwarf existing buildings.Conservationists had complained
that the current memorial — which is 150-ft tall — blocked
the view of the Rashtrapati Bhawan, a prominent landmark in
the Capital.
The design for the new structure will now be decided by a
panel comprising members from the government and the Art
Commission. Though nothing has been finalised as yet, it is
believed that the government will hold a competition,
inviting architects from across the country to come up with
plans for the memorial and select the best. Members of the
DUAC say advertisements for the competition will be out
within the next one month.
Meanwhile, art lovers are coming up with their own ideas of
a memorial for police martyrs. They want something that is
low profile, humble and constructed in stone. ‘‘Stone
symbolises permanence and stability and is considered
appropriate for a martyr’s memorial,’’ says O P Jain,
convener, INTACH.
As for the cost, Mohammad Shaheed, member, Art Commission,
says the money spent will be less than the previous
structure. |
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