War memorial plan enters design stage

Written by Writer on Saturday, October 25th, 2008

War memorial plan enters design stage

25 Oct 2008, TNN

BANGALORE: The country will soon have its first post-Independence war memorial in Bangalore befitting the tribute due to our martyrs with chief minister B S Yeddyurappa announcing an allocation of Rs 4 crore for its construction. A steering committee, headed by MP Rajeev Chandrashekhar, has been appointed.

Now, the project is at the concept/design stage, with members recently appointed for selection of location, design, architecture and other details. Lt Col (Retd) G V Sreedhar, one of the members, told TOI the CM had announced the ground-breaking ceremony for what will be called the `Military Martyrs’ Memorial’ will be held on December 16. The CM apparently wants the memorial to be opened on August 15 next year.

The steering committee consists of the MP, five veterans, commissioners of BDA and BBMP, chief architect of the state and home secretary, said Sreedhar. Some locations have been zeroed in on around the Vidhan Soudha, Queens Road, Cubbon Park or Raj Bhavan road. The requirement is for “an easily accessible place, with lot of breathing space and gardens.”

The idea is to attract the younger generation to learn more about the sacrifice made by the martyrs to the country. While the details as to what the memorial are yet to be finalized, the veterans want to consciously make it different from the famous Amar Jyothi memorial in New Delhi. “We will most definitely have a flag, the insignia of the three forces, a water body and a garden where children can play,” explained Sreedhar.

The memorial will be the first one in the country after independence to have been proposed by and funded by a state government. The memorial will be dedicated to those who had “upheld the constitution” and soldiers who had sacrificed their lives to protect the country.

A meeting of the steering committee on the 28th of this month will finalize on location and other details.