Statues, stones & splendour: Lko’s Rashtra Prerna Sthal set for mega upgrade

The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) is set to commence curation and artistic development at the Rashtra Prerna Sthal in Basant Kunj following a fresh fund allocation of ₹22.55 crore by the Uttar Pradesh government. The sanctioned amount is meant for the next phase of the cultural project, featuring museum exhibits, ornamental stonework, and bronze statues.

According to a government order dated March 29, the new fund release includes 30 conditions and pushes the total project cost to ₹232.56 crore. The site is in Sector-J of the Basant Kunj Yojna, along the Gomti river.

LDA officials confirmed that while the museum building is structurally complete, work on exhibits, installations, and accessibility components is pending. “The tender has been issued. As soon as the executing agency is finalised, work will begin,” said Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, executive engineer, LDA.

Out of the current release, ₹79.05 lakh has been allocated for three six-foot bronze statues to be installed by the state culture department. The government has asked the LDA to engage a qualified museum curator and procure artistic elements either through competitive bidding or pre-approved rates.

Notably, the ₹22.55 crore is part of a ₹65.72 crore project component already cleared by the Expenditure Finance Committee. Earlier allocations include ₹138.98 crore in March 2024 and ₹27.86 crore in January 2024.

To oversee quality control and the use of specified materials, a high-level monitoring committee will be set up. The chief town planner will serve as the nodal officer for the initiative.