Thaindian News

Lucknow, July 19 (IANS) The barely one-year-old Rs.750 crore Kanshi Ram Memorial here is to be given a special silicon coat to provide a shield against seepage and discolouring of the pink Dholpur stone, an engineer said.
Moss and algae has grown on parts of the memorial’s surface.

While top officials of the state construction corporation engaged for the project declined to make any comment, an engineer supervising the work at the site said “seepage of rainwater had given rise to algae and fungus on certain parts of the dome”.

“A coat of a transparent silicon gel would provide a kind of a seal over the porous stone to prevent seepage and keep it free from moss and algae,” he said, adding that the coat will cost around Rs.110 per square foot.

“With a diameter of 39.54 metres, the dome is the largest in the country,” he said.

Originally cast in steel, the 54-metre-tall dome was covered with pink dholpur stone to make it match with the structures around the memorial that was built barely a year ago.

The memorial has imposing 18-foot-tall bronze statues of both Bahujan Samaj Party founder Kanshi Ram and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati.

Build on a part of the erstwhile district jail, the memorial was one of Mayawati’s dream projects, which includes a Rs.1,200-crore Ambedkar memorial-cum-park among others.

A Kanshi Ram Eco-Park spread over 130 acres is coming up on an adjoining piece of land, acquired for the purpose after demolishing an old jail, will eventually become a part of the memorial complex.

The jail was shifted out of the city limits to a new Rs.300-crore building last year to make room for the park.