Nod for common site for funeral rites of departed leaders

A common memorial site for performing the last rites of departed national leaders, including presidents, vice presidents, prime ministers and other leaders is to come up near Ekta Sthal, located near Rajghat, in New Delhi.

"The union cabinet Thursday gave its approval for construction of a 'Rashtriya Smriti' at the Samadhis Complex near Ekta Sthal in New Delhi, to establish a place to perform the last rites of departed national leaders namely presidents, vice presidents, prime ministers, former presidents, vice presidents, prime ministers and such other leaders as decided by the cabinet," said a statement.

The cabinet had in 2000 taken a decision to have a common memorial site in the wake of shortage of land for separate memorials. The memorials there, including Rajghat for Mahatma Gandhi, Shantivan - for Jawaharlal Nehru, Shakti Sthal - for Indira Gandhi, Samta Sthal for Jagjivan Ram - are built on sprawling lawns.

"Earlier, separate memorials for departed national leaders were created near Rajghat which covered a large space. In view of Cabinet decision taken in the year 2000 that "Henceforth Government shall not develop any Samadhi for departed leaders" and the paucity of land at the Samadhis Complex area, 'Rashtriya Smriti' is being developed to perform last rites of departed national leaders.

"The Smriti area will provide space for last rites of departed national leaders in future, besides space for a public gathering," the statement said.