APJ Abdul Kalam memorial work starts today

Visitors look at a cake in the shape of the late former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam at the 41st annual cake exhibition at St. Joseph’s Indian High School, Bengaluru, on Monday. — PTI

The construction work on a memorial for former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam at his home town Rameswaram is slated to begin on Tuesday with Tamil Nadu government allotting land as sought by the Centre and construction material having reached the site.

Kalam’s grandnephew Sheik Salim said the construction material has reached the site and thanked the Central and state governments for taking up the initiative.

A state government release on Monday said 1.30 acre land had been allotted for the memorial and the Central Public Works Department has taken steps to fence it.

“The Central Public Works department has set up the fence in the place were the state government has allocated the land,” the release said.

The announcement about allotment of land and commencement of the construction work came days after media reports stated that the place where the memorial of the former President was proposed to be built was lying neglected. Kalam passed away on July 27 in Shillong and was laid to rest at Pei Karumbu in Rameswaram. PM Narendra Modi had announced on October 15 that a memorial would be built for the late “Missile Man”.

Salim said the construction materials had already reached the site and the DRDO and the defence ministry are engaged in the construction work.

“They have told me that construction work will begin tomorrow and the fencing work will be completed in 15 days,” he told PTI.

Commenting on the signature campaign taken up by various civil society members to drum up support for expediting the construction work, Kalam’s grandnephew said: “There is no need for such a campaign now.”

The Tamil Nadu government, commemorating Kalam’s birthday, announced that October 15 would be observed as “Youth Renaissance Day” every year.

A “Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Award” was also instituted by the state government commemorating his birth anniversary and Isro scientist P. Valarmathi was its first recipient.