PM Modi unveils 28-ft-tall Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose statue at India Gate

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday unveiled a 28-ft-tall statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate.

The statue is part of the Centre's Rs 13,450-crore Central Vista project, which will have a new Parliament building, new office and residences for the prime minister and vice-president and new ministry buildings. The North and South Blocks, the secretariat buildings flanking Rashtrapati Bhavan, will be converted into museums.

The black granite statue has been carved from a monolithic block of granite weighing 280 metric tonne. The block of granite picked for the statue was transported to Delhi from Telangana and the statue was carved out of it in over two months.

Modi also interacted with some workers involved in the redevelopment work of the Central Vista avenue and told them they will be invited for the Republic Day parade, officials said.

The prime minister also walked along the gallery in the India Gate premises showcasing the evolution of the Central Vista Avenue over the past nine decades.

Union ministers Hardeep Singh Puri, G Kishan Reddy, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Meenakshi Lekhi and Kaushal Kishore were present at the event among others.