Shaheed Smarak on way to becoming iconic structure of Surat

SURAT:

Shaheed Smarak

,

which is being built on 80

,000 square metres of land in Vesu, will be ready by 2020. About 25 per cent of civil work of this Rs51 crore project has been completed. There will be a Shantivan with 80,000 trees, a 38-metre high Shaheed Stambha and galleries of freedom fighters,

civilians

, armed force personnel and a 250 seat auditorium on the premises of the project being undertaken by Surat Municipal Corporation.


“The first phase of the project is almost complete. The second phase of the work will be taken up after Diwali. It will become a unique destination for people on completion. Shaheed Smarak will be an iconic structure of Surat dedicated to freedom fighters and martyrs,” said CY Bhatt, deputy commissioner, SMC.

Bhatt said, “Unity Square, Shauyra Dwar, three display galleries of Indian Armed Forces, freedom fighters and civilians, an axis of time, a memory square, an infinity platform and open ground along with facilities are being built in the first phase of the project.”

The Shaheed Smarak will have an introduction on Indian Armed Forces and complete information about them ranging from battalions, guns, aircraft to ships.

Vishal Shah, architect of the project, said, “Normally a memorial does not have galleries and other facilities. But Shaheed Smarak will have three galleries with facility for interactive displays to narrate stories to people.”

“Out of 80,000 sq mtrs of land, construction will take place only on 8,000 sq mtrs. More than 80,000 plant saplings will planted in the remaining space. The Shantivan will turn into lungs of Vesu area within a couple of years,” Shah added. The work on the project began five months ago.