The Rs 650 crore Noida Park has been in the eye of a storm for multiple reasons, including a legal battle, and after consuming the efforts of over 25,000 stone carvers and masons and several hundred statue makers, it has finally emerged as what the authorities refer to as a “modern marvel and a tribute to Dr BR Ambedkar and Mayawati’s mentor and BSP founder Kanshi Ram.”
Designed by architects Design Associates Inc and spread across 33.43 hectares (between the DND lyway and Mahamaya Flyover), the park has been divided into three parts – the Column Plaza, the Central Park Plaza and the Ambedkar Plaza separated by two water fountains. The Column Plaza is dotted with several 300ft high pillars crowned by four-headed elephants and another iron pillar like structure in the centre, complete with a chakra and four elephants. The Ambedkar Plaza houses a total of 12 Dholpur and Mirzapur stone statues, all brought from Lucknow, one of the CM herself and the others of Gautam Buddha, B R Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram. The grander Central Plaza houses the dome that has three more life size statues of the CM, Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram. 2,500 masons were deployed to work exclusively on the central dome meant to commemorate centuries of Dalit oppression.
A total of 24 pink sandstone elephants and innumerable smaller ones also stand guard within the park and all the pillars and the facade of the central dome are ornamented with Buddhist motifs.
Keeping with the Supreme Court’s order of maintaining 75 per cent green cover area in the park, 7,600 trees and 1.5 lakh shrubs have been planted. “We have also made two green lawns covered with flowering plants like Champa, Kachnaar and Jarul near the Central Park Plaza,” said B Prabhakar, director (horticulture), Noida Authority. The park mainly has native trees like Neem, Pilkhan, Peepal, Siras and Jarul. However, in the area where most statues have been installed, the Authority has planted some Bottle Palms, Kanak Champa and other flowering plants.
According to Sant Ram, chief project engineer of the Noida Authority, the park will be open to public on all days, however, a nominal entry fee will be charged from all visitors. A special task force will guard the Park at all times to maintain security.
The construction work on the Park began in January 2009. A total of 6,241 trees were axed and 512 trees had to be shifted to other parks to make way for the Noida Park. Besides receiving much flak from several quarters over the ostentatious statues of the chief minister, patrons of the erstwhile Nandan Kanan park had also approached the Supreme Court that later allowed the project to go ahead on the condition that the constructed area in the park be reduced from the earlier 38 per cent to 25 per cent while the remaining 75 per cent of the total area be maintained as a green belt.
The Samajik Parivartan Sangrahalay – Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Memorials Park at Noida near DND flyway, would comprise two ‘stupas’ with galleries which would depict the life history of great personalities and social reformers and their deeds and actions related to social reforms.
The ‘stupa’ being constructed near Noida flyway with a crowd of statues will cost the exchequer Rs 203 crore and there was a budgetary allocation of Rs 294 crore for other parks and statues, the Mayawati government has reportedly told the Supreme Court on 21st August 2009. “The cultural department made provisions of Rs 194.2 crore in the financial year 2008-09 and Rs 100 crore in the year 2009-10.”
Noida Park Decdember 3, 2010: In a reprieve for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, the Supreme Court on Friday cleared her government’s project to construct, install statues of Dalit icons at a park in Noida, saying it does not come under forest land. “We have found that it is not on forest land,” a Bench of Chief Justice S H Kapadia and Justices Aftab Alam and K S Radhakrishnan said. The Bench, however, added that there are concerns regarding the park’s proximity to the Okhla Bird Sanctuary.
July 23, 2010 Noida Park Hearing in SC: Senior advocate Jayant Bhushan, appearing for some Noida residents, alleged the UP government utilised the forest land for non-forest use by constructing memorials of Dalit leaders on 33 hectares of land for which it had uprooted 6194 trees. Hearing began on Friday July 23, before a special forest bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia.Senior advocates K K Venugopal and S C Mishra, a close aide of Chief Minister Mayawati, submitted that the matter could be brought to an end as the two affidavits submitted by the Centre clinches the issue in the favour of the state government.All work for the Rs 650-crore project on the 33.43 hectare land has been stopped since October 9, 2009, by the apex court order.
Julu 20, 2010: The Centre has sought some time from the Supreme Court to examine environmental impact reports prepared by Uttar Pradesh government in connection with the construction of statues and memorials for Dalit leaders at a park in Noida near here.
A fresh affidavit filed by the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) said there was a need to examine the three reports prepared by Uttar Pradesh government as they were not concurring with each other.
The matter is listed for hearing on Friday July 23, before a special forest bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia.
All work for the Rs 650-crore project on the 33.43 hectare land has been stopped since October 9, 2009, by the apex court order.
The Centre had earlier opposed the project on environmental grounds.
July 17, 2010 : Chief Justice of India S.H. Kapadia on Friday announced the setting up of an additional Forest Bench in the Supreme Court, to hear environment and mining-related cases.As per the report The CJI has said that the matter relating to installation of statues in the Noida Park would be the first case to be taken up on July 23.
May 24, 2010 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati is set to go ahead with her decision to form a special force to protect her multi-billion dream projects — memorials and statues…More
April 22, 2010: The Supreme Court today directed the Centre to examine the environmental impact caused by the felling of around 6000 trees at a Park in Noida used by Mayawati government for construction of statues and memorials of Dalit leaders. The Bench comprising Justices S H Kapadia and Aftab Alam, said and posted the matter for further hearing in the second week of July..More….
February 5, 2010 : The Supreme Court today fixed March 12 to hear the plea of Uttar Pradesh government for lifting the stay on the work for construction of statues and memorials for Dalit leaders at a park in Noida near here, which was causing a loss of Rs three lakh everyday.
February 3, 2010 : The Uttar Pradesh assembly has passed a bill for raising a special force to provide security to the memorials, parks and statues of Dalit icons including at Gautam Budh Samta Mulak Sthal in Gautam Budh Nagar.
Noida:09/10/09…. SC Blow to Noida’s Maywati’s Staues…..
The fast-track projects of UP Government for building memorials and installing statues of dalit icons including Chief Minister Mayawati today faced another roadblock with the Supreme Court restraining it from carrying out construction activities for its Rs 650 crore venture at a park in Noida adjacent to the capital.
The direction to stop the work for the construction of statues and memorials comprising Mayawati, her mentor Kanshi Ram and other dalit leaders in 35.5 hectare of park land by the apex court came after it last month ordered stoppage of such works in Lucknow and initiated contempt proceedings on October 6 against the Chief Secretary for flagrant violation of its directions.
The Court refused the plea of Mayawati Government that it should adjourn the matter and give time for responding to the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) report which said the project was carried out without environmental clearance.
A Supreme Court-appointed committee inspected the Ambedkar Park being developed in Noida
The team visited the Park around 09.00 am in the morning of 6th August 2009. It is alleged that violations of environmental rules and its effect on the bird sanctuary.
Central Empowered Committee led by Chairman P V Jayakrishnan, a former chief secretary of Delhi Government, inspected the build-up structures and met officers of Noida Authority.
Sources said the committee was apprised of details regarding uprooted trees and build-up structure.
Authority officers informed that it was not forest area and nor it comes under flood zone area. The parks were developed by authority for the residents. Now, five parks were amalgamated into one. Site has only 9,542 square meter built up area though total area is 33.43 hectares.
Officers told the Committee that as built up area was quite less there was no need for getting clearance from the Ministry of Environment.
Noida Park Project to beautify the Sector 95 Park is being built at a cost of Rs 187.20 crore.It would have three statues — one each of Bhimrao Ambedkar, Kanshi Ram and Mayawati inside its building. It is expected that after visiting Akshar Dham tourist will visit this park….Video by attachowk.com Noida July 26, 2009
SC refuses to interfere in Maya’s statue installing spree
Ambedkar Park …wastage of public money?..., thousands of priceless trees have been cut in Noida’s green belt to make way for a sprawling memorial. … .felling trees recklessly?…….now in Supreme Court’ …Political parties now awakened!.. ..
Noida Ambedkar Park: Public interest litigation (PIL) filed in the Supreme Court questioning the wastage of public funds by Sukumar and Ravi Kant had sought an urgent hearing so that the inaugural function for the memorials, slated for July 3, could be stopped.
Covered Statue waiting for unveiling…….near by the slip roard that travels towards Toll Bridge…… the area is being beautidied….with park , statue, and dham etc ..
The project to beautify the Sector 95 Park (official ‘address’ of the Yamuna bed in front of Sectors 14A and 15A in the land records) a Central Park Plaza is being built at a cost of Rs 187.20 crore.It would have three statues — one each of Bhimrao Ambedkar, Kanshi Ram and Mayawati inside its building.
Mayawati’s mega project irks Noida
When the Mayawati government started building a wall along four adjacent parks next to the Yamuna riverbed opposite Sectors 14-A and 15-A early last year, residents had thought it was just meant to protect the area...
