Atal Bihari Vajpayee's statue to be installed near East West Corridor's Clock Tower: Cachar BJP after finishing land inspection

Last month it was announced by BJP that a 10 feet long bronze statue of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee would be installed at East West Corridor’s zero point. Many social organisations vehemently opposed the move as the road still remains incomplete for vehicular traffic to ply. However, on Thursday, Cachar BJP visited the zero point and decided a spot for statue installation. The empty area lying near the clock tower was fixated for the bronze statue. Speaking to media, BJP district president and other senior leaders told “We have decided the spot. It will now be installed as per scheduled time”.

Note worthily, the East West Corridor was initiated by late PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1994 as a part of the Golden Quadrilateral Project which seamlessly connects the country’s North with South and the East with West for hassle free passenger traffic and easy freight movement. After much thought and deliberation Rangpur (in Silchar) was made the zero point on the East Side of East-West Corridor and Saurashtra in Gujarat the West Side of it. It was accorded the status of National Project back in 2004. While the project is almost complete in different states of the country through which it passes, the fruition is yet to be achieved as the Silchar portion still remains incomplete even after so many years due to prolonged delays in getting an NOC from the forest department. Once NOC was achieved, frequent landslides in Dima Hasao terrain jeopardized the construction making it a herculean task to continue and hence the incomplete 32 km.

Silchar MP Rajdeep Roy had informed that the making of the bronze statue was progressing in Kolkata and would be installed on December 25 in Silchar. A Union Minister would innaugurate the statue though his name is yet to be formalised.

Speaking on the issue Roy said “Late PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee had kept Silchar in his mind while announcing a project of such a massive scale. It is because of him that we were added to country’s advanced infrastructure of roads. At a time when BJP is ruling the whole country with his ideals and principles, we don’t want to lose an opportunity to pay our tributes to him. After our party decided to install his idol, a 10 feet long bronze statue was ordered in Kolkata. The work is almost complete.”

Recently a social organisation named Northeast India Collective had demanded that the work of East West Corridor be completed at first and the statue be installed after that. The members had said they would install the statue by themselves if necessary, but government should complete the work before that.

To this Roy responded, “The work of East-West Corridor is going on, we have come a long way after overcoming a vast array of impediments. The work would be completed by December next year. Not only the state government but the central government is also working hand in hand for it’s completion. Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari is looking after it personally. We have visited the area many times and we will also go again during Puja season and inform the public about it’s progess. Everyone has a right to protest in a democracy, but we shouldn’t speak based on half baked truths without knowing full facts.”

He added “Admirers of late PM can also donate for the statue if they want. They can submit cheque by contacting district BJP, though the process is yet to be become online. We are trying to make it online for the ease of people. This would be a pride not only of Silchar but of Northeast as a whole”.