Mahatma Gandhi statue to come up in Vidhana Soudha premises

A life-size bronze statue of a meditating Mahatma Gandhi will come up in the premises of the imposing Vidhana Soudha, the state secretariat, for which the foundation stone will be laid by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tomorrow.
The 27-feet high statue with 13-feet pedestal would be installed between Vidhana Soudha and its replica Vikasa Soudha, located to its south, under a Rs 11 crore project Legislative Council Chairman D H Shankarmurthy told reporters.
Famous sculptor Ram Vanji Sutar has been tasked with sculpting the statue. "Sutar has built many scupltures across the country and also set up statues in 52 other countries," Shankarmurthy said.

The Gandhi statue will be unveiled on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, he said.
The government could not take up the statue installation work in the Vidhan Souda premises a few years ago as it came under the Cubbon Park limits, Shankarmurthy said.
To tide over this problem, the Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) (Amendment) Bill, 2013 was adopted last year, removing about 49 acres, including Vidhana Soudha, Vikasa Soudha, Legislators' Home and adjoining structures, from the purview of Cubbon Park premises, Shankarmurthy said.

The Council Chairman said restrictions on construction on the park premises meant that the government could not take up the work relating these structures.

"For example, a statue of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri had been installed some time ago in the Vidhana Soudha premises, but it could not be unveiled as norms prevented statues being put up in Cubbon Park. Hence, the statue had been completely wrapped up," he said.
However, Shastri's statue will be unveiled simultaneously with the foundation stone laying of Gandhi statue tomorrow, Shankarmurthy said.