The municipal commissioner of Nashik, Sujata Saunik, told reporters today that work will not resume till the dispute is resolved. Accordingly, a joint meeting will be convened of the Dadasaheb Phalke Memorial Committee and the Buddha Leni Bacho Kruti Samiti.

The RPI has been opposing the memorial to be built at the foothills of Pandav Caves claiming it would detract from the sancitity of the caves. The bhoomi puja of the memorial was performed on February 21 and excavation work was also underway. However, on Buddha Jayanti last Friday, a group of RPI activists pelted stones at construction workers at the site.

As a quid pro quo, the Nashik Municipal Corporation, which is executing the project, has allocated five acres at the memorial site for a Buddha memorial. Bothmemorials will be built at an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore on 29.5 acres near the Pandav Caves.