No decision taken yet, final call at next meet.
Chennai: Public works department (PWD) on Tuesday gave a presentation on three to four construction models for the memorial of former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa on Marina beach before Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and senior cabinet ministers.
The officials spoke in detail about all the models designed by experts for construction of the memorial approved by the Tamil Nadu Cabinet soon after Jayalalithaa's death. “The CM and his cabinet colleagues were briefed about the models, their aesthetic look and the size of the area on which the memorial will come up,” sources said.
They also said the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and senior cabinet ministers like K A Sengottaiyan and P Thangamani gave a patient hearing and posed several questions about the models presented before them.
The sources said no decision was taken in the meeting on Tuesday and it has been decided meet again to take a final call on the model that will be executed.
Though there was no official word on what transpired at the meeting, sources said the top brass of the Tamil Nadu Government said they were committed to building a world-class memorial for the late chief minister. Though the memorial was planned to be completed by the end of this year, it is unlikely that work would be completed in the next couple of months.
“Once the CM approves the model of construction, tender will be floated and work will begin on the memorial. Officials have been instructed to get world-class design for the memorial since the government attaches utmost priority to the project,” another source said.
Proposal to build the memorial where Jayalalithaa was buried was the first decision of the O. Panneerselvam cabinet after it was sworn-in following her death on December 5, 2016.
