The government today set the ball rolling for a Rs 500 crore National War Memorial and National War Museum near India Gate to be built in memory of over 22,500 soldiers who laid down their lives post-Independence with the cabinet approving the long-pending proposal.
Described by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "perfect tribute" to the country's brave soldiers, the memorial and the museum in Princess Park here is estimated to be completed in five years.
Post-Independence, more than 22,500 soldiers have made the supreme sacrifice in national interest and in defence of the sovereignty and integrity of the country.
However, even after 69 years of Independence, no memorial to commemorate the martyrs has been constructed till date.
"The National War Memorial will be a perfect tribute to our brave soldiers who have given their lives for the nation," Modi tweeted.
With this decision, a long-pending demand of the armed forces has been redressed, an official statement released after the Cabinet meeting said.
It has been decided that the project will be monitored by an empowered Steering Committee chaired by Defence Secretary and assisted by a dedicated project management team, to ensure that the project is completed within the scheduled time-frame.
Post commissioning, a management body will be formed for maintenance of the National War Memorial and the museum. The steering committee will now work on issuing an international request for information (RFI) for both domestic and foreign firms to come forward with their ideas and designs.
Government sources said Prime Minister Modi has given clear directions that the memorial should be world class and one of the best globally.
The memorial will not only take into account the martyrs of the various wars that India fought, but also the soldiers who were killed in counter-insurgency and anti-terror operations in the North East, Jammu and Kashmir, besides other places and battles fought in Siachen and IPKF operations in Sri Lanka.
