Construction continues at Mayawati's dream project in Lucknow

Lucknow, Sep 10(ANI): Disobeying the Supreme Court's directive, construction activity of Ambedkar Park, one of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati's dream projects is continuing in full swing in Lucknow.

Earlier on Tuesday, a Supreme Court bench headed by Justice B.N. Agarwal had directed the state government to suspend work at the Ambedkar Park and 12 other projects being built in Lucknow in the name of the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) icons.

Contractors working at the park site said they are proceeding with the construction work secretly inspite of the apex court's order.

"We have been working here secretly, and we haven't got any orders to stop the work," said Sanjeev Thakur, a contractor.

Meanwhile, on the sidelines of a party meeting, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh went against the construction of the projects in the state saying that all of them should be demolished as soon as possible.

"When our government will come into action, it will demolish all the projects under construction. This is a complete wastage of money. Let it be demolished. The stones and bricks can be utilised elsewhere. Bulldozers should be run over them," said Mulayam Singh.

As per the information by the Lucknow Development Authority, the state government has spent Rs 34.9 on Mayawati's eight statues installed in five memorials coming up in Lucknow.

The government has also spent another Rs 33.7 million on seven statues of Kanshi Ram to be installed in the memorials.

There are 60 statues of elephants, the election symbol of the BSP, erected in these memorials at the cost of Rs 522 million.

Each of these statues, together with their granite-covered pedestals, costs Rs 8.7 million. (ANI)