Nilamel: The Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP) has stalled the construction of the Gandhi statue by the Nilamel panchayat citing disputes over the ownership of the land. KSTP stated that the statue is being constructed on the land owned by the Public Works Department.

Meanwhile, president Shemeena Prambil claimed that the construction was done in the land owned by the panchayat. The panchayat had begun the construction of the foundation and the statue on the same spot where panchayat had built a bus shelter earlier, in the Nilamel junction. It was also decided to spend ₹12 lakh for building the statue by including it in the annual developmental project.

The project to build a Gandhi statue and a nearby park was envisaged as part of the beautification works of Nilamel junction. KSTP issued a stop memo to the panchayat officials alleging the statue is being built by encroaching the land owned by the public works department. Meanwhile, construction had already started, and concrete pillars were already built here.

Some even raised the issue with the minister who is in charge of the department. Panchayat president and the members allege that the KSTP officials had issued the stop memo after higher authorities intervened in the matter. Panchayat has also urged the KSTP officials to allow an inspection by the taluk surveyor.

Bronze statue of Gandhi unveiled at Chadayamangalam
The clay Gandhi statue that had been an icon of Chadayamangalam for decades got an upgrade. Gandhi’s bronze statue that was built by the panchayat by spending ₹1.5 lakh was unveiled Friday. Vayalikkada Kuttan Pillai who had been Gandhi’s strong admirer installed the clay statue at Chadayamangalam on Gandhi Jayanti, a year after Gandhiji was martyred.

A lamp post too was built there to light up the statue at night. The statue that was supported on pillars later got a foundation built by the panchayat. There were widespread protests in the area when someone had recently tried to destroy the statue.