Naidu lays foundation stone for Rs 100-cr Ambedkar park

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today laid the foundation-stone for the Rs 100 crore Dr B R Ambedkar Smriti Vanam (memorial park) at Inavolu village here, marking the 125th birth anniversary of the architect of Indian Constitution.

He also laid the foundation-stone for a 126-ft statue of Ambedkar that will come up in the park, spread over a 20-acre site.

The Smriti Vanam will have a multi-purpose Convention Hall with a seating capacity of 3,000 persons.

A Buddhist Dhyana Kendram (Meditation Hall), Dr B R Ambedkar Memorial Library with his collected works and thoughts, Memorial Park with aesthetic and landscaped gardens and an Open Air Theatre with a seating capacity of 2,000 people with facilities for conducting multi-media shows are some of the other features of the Smriti Vanam.

The state government has allotted Rs 97.64 crore for the project that is expected to be completed in 24 months.

This includes Rs 25 crore for the 126-ft statue.

Assembly Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao, Social Welfare Minister Nakka Anand Babu and others attended the function.