As usual,the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) office was closed this Sunday. But its officials were on duty they were working at different spots across Lucknow to put things in place for the grand celebration of Chief Minister Mayawatis 55th birthday on January 15. The LDA,which had published an advertisement on January 7 inviting tenders for the work and had initially fixed January 9 for opening of the bids,deferred it to Monday. The LDA is among a number of government agencies tasked with making preparations for the birthday bash. The other bodies are Lucknow Municipal Corporation,UP Rajkiya Nirman Nigam (UPRNN) and UP Public Works Department,and their deadline is January 13. The LDA is looking for experienced firms to illuminate memorials,gardens and crossings from January 14 to 16. It is also scouting for expert hands to decorate the statues of Dalit icons in the memorials with flowers. These statues are of Kanshiram,Mayawati,Bhimrao Ambedkar,Ramabai Ambedkar,Jyotiba Phoole,Birsa Munda,Gautam Buddha,Guru Ghasi Das and Chattrapati Shahuji Maharaj among others. The LDA has hired a Delhi-based agency to prepare a documentary on the memorials built by the BSP government,but officials refused to share details,except that the documentary would of 10-minute duration and the cost would be Rs 25 lakh. Some memorials and parks will be illuminated and decorated with flowers. All work will be completed by January 13, said LDA vice-chairman Mritunjay Kumar Narain. He said the Memorials,Sthals and Institutions Management,Protection and Maintenance Committee of the government would bear the expenditure. The LDA vice-chairman is the chief executive officer of the committee. As per sources,the LDA has to light up and festoon,among others,the Bhimrao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Prateek Sthal,Smriti Upvan,Ramabai Ambedkar Rally Maidan,Bhimrao Ambedkar Gomti Park near Gomti barrage,Bhimrao Ambedkar Gomti Vihar,Samtamulak Chowk,the roundabout at the Cantonment crossing,the Amausi airport crossing,the Bijlipasi Qila crossing,the administrative block of the Ambedkar memorial and the entire road connecting Samtamulak Chowk to Amedkar Memorial police outpost. The UPRNN has the responsibility of illuminating and decorating the Kanshiram Smarak Sthal on VIP Road,Bhimrao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Sthal in Gomti Nagar,Kanshiram Green Eco Garden on Jail Road,Baudh Vihar Shanti Upwan on VIP Road,Bangla Bazaar crossing and Ikshupur crossing. The PWD is supposed to brighten up the Mall Avenue crossing,Bhimrao Ambedkars statue at Hazratganj crossing,roundabouts at Awadh Hospital crossing,Munshipulia,Tedhipulia,Jail Road Colony,and Bhimrao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Sthal Chauraha near Jiamau. However,PWD engineer-in-chief T Ram said,I have no idea if any crossing is being illuminated or beautified by PWD. I have no information if the government has given the PWD any such work. The LMC has been entrusted with the beautification work of roundabouts at the Lohia crossing,Vikramaditya Marg crossing,Kalidas Marg crossing and Loreto crossing. I have not received any communication from any government department. Illumination-related works are being looked after by executive engineer Rajiv Bajpai but he is on leave. He will come back on January 10 and then work will be started, said Municipal Commissioner S K Singh. Meanwhile,several roundabouts have already been illuminated for the past few days.
