Explainer: Wait for completion of Shaheed Smarak gets longer

The completion of the ambitious Shaheed Smarak, being built to commemorate the heroes of the first revolt of 1857, has been delayed further. As the project is unlikely to be complete by its deadline of August end, the project is now likely to be completed by the end of the year.

What is the project all about?

The Shaheed Smarak is being built to commemorate the unsung heroes and narrate the untold stories of the first revolt of 1857. The visitors will get to know about the First War of Indian Independence in 1857, its circumstances and events that took place in Ambala, followed by the role of martyrs across the country.

Why is the smarak being built in Ambala Cantonment?

Historians believe that before the outbreak of the mutiny in Meerut on May 10, the 60th and 5th Regiments openly revolted in Ambala. But unfortunately, their planning didn’t succeed. Haryana was also punished for its revolt and hundreds of people were killed. People related to the revolt were hanged on trees. The Shaheed Smarak is an attempt to present the real picture of the first revolt.

What is the status of the construction work?

While over 95 per cent of the civil work has been completed, about 65-70 per cent artwork of the memorial has been finished. Earlier, the PWD (B&R) was expecting that the work would be completed by August and a deadline was fixed, but with nearly 30 per cent of the artwork pending, the work was now expected to be completed by the end of this year. An official said the suggestions given by the historians were being incorporated, and there was also some enhancement in the work due to which it would take some more time to complete the project.

What will be offered to visitors at Shaheed Smarak?

As per the officials, 22 galleries are being developed. A 63m-tall memorial tower will be the centre of attraction and different advanced technologies will be used to give a real-time experience to the visitors. Short films and light-and-sound shows will be used to narrate the stories of the martyrs and the circumstances of the first revolt.

When was the project started?

The project was first conceived by then Bhupinder Singh Hooda government around 2010, and the government acquired 22 acres near the local IOCL depot. However, due to political wrangling, the foundation stone-laying ceremony was called off thrice from 2010 to 2014. The foundation stone was laid by former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in May 2015. However, the work at the ground level was started in December 2018 when the Public Works Department started the work of earth filling, and even after several tentative deadlines, the project is yet to be completed.

What do the officials say?

The officials associated with the project said that Shaheed Smarak was a big project, the artwork was a time-consuming process, and the digital work, including the short films required more time. Every fact and details were being verified by the team of historians and changes were also being made accordingly. Haryana Cabinet Minister Anil Vij has been monitoring the project closely, and all efforts are being made to get the project ready for inauguration by the end of the year.

Haryana Tribune