Ambedkar Memorial foundation stone laying likely on October 4

MUMBAI: The laying of the foundation stone for a memorial here to iconic leader Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to be held on October 4.

Maharashtra Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar told PTI that the Prime Minister's two programmes on the day in Mumbai are likely to be the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Memorial and another function of the Bohra community.

"Final date will be announced after Prime Minister's clearance. But the tentative date for the ambitious Ambedkar Memorial project's 'bhumi pujan' has been fixed for October 4," Mungantiwar said.

The state government had earlier planned the function this year on April 14, the birth anniversary of Dr Ambedkar, the chief architect of the Indian Constitution.

But the event was postponed due to the foreign visits of Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The 12.5 acre plot in the Indu mill compound that belonged to National Textile Corporation (NTC) was transferred to the state government in 2012.

The BJP-led government, which completes its first year in office on October 31, plans to showcase the project as one of its major achievements.