Decision on Manmohan memorial soon as top central officials scout sites

NEW DELHI: Top officials of housing and urban affairs ministry, including the secretary K Srinivas, visited different sites at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal and adjoining Vijay Ghat for the memorial of late PM Manmohan Singh on Thursday afternoon. The decision on the location for the memorial will be taken soon.
Earlier teams of other staff had visited the sites and carried out assessments, which included areas adjoining Kisan Ghat, Rashtriya Smriti Sthal and memorial of Sanjay Gandhi.
There have been rounds of meetings between home ministry and urban affairs ministry officials. The land allotment for memorial is done by Land and Development office of urban affairs ministry.
Sources said the govt will take the consent of Singh’s family before allotting the land to a trust, which will build the memorial.
TOI has learnt that some officials met family members of the late PM before taking any final decision.
As per norm, once the land is allotted the trust will get the land at a token amount. The Central Public Works Department carries out the development at the cost to be borne by the trust.
The govt has already conveyed its willingness to set up a memorial to the former PM’s family.