Nearly two decades after the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) government built a sprawling Ambedkar memorial in Lucknow’s Gomti Nagar, a second memorial dedicated to B R Ambedkar is nearing completion in the city, with the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in Uttar Pradesh targeting a July deadline for it — well ahead of the state Assembly elections slated for early 2027.Coming up in Aishbagh on a 5,493.52 sq metre area opposite the Eidgah, the Bharat Ratna Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Memorial and Cultural Centre is being envisaged not merely as a commemorative structure but as a multi-utility cultural and institutional complex.The foundation stone for the project was laid in 2022 by then President Ram Nath Kovind ahead of the Assembly elections. Officials said the project, initially approved at Rs 45.04 crore for the memorial component, has since expanded significantly in scope. With additional works — including an auditorium, finishing and external development — being executed in phases through multiple agencies, the overall cost has now crossed Rs 100 crore, sources said.New memorial complexUnlike the existing memorial, which is largely a monumental site, the new complex is being designed as an “activity-based campus” with a focus on public engagement and academic work around Ambedkar’s ideas.At the centre of the campus will be a 25-foot-high statue of Ambedkar, around which the site is being developed. The project includes a three-storey administrative building, a 500-seat auditorium, a common basement, and supporting infrastructure such as a substation, pump room and internal service networks. Boundary walls, entry gates, internal roads and drainage systems are already in place, while facade finishing, landscaping and auditorium interiors are in the advanced stages. The foundation stone for the project was laid in 2022 by then President Ram Nath Kovind ahead of the Assembly elections.Officials said the project aims to go beyond symbolic representation. “This is not just a memorial. It will be a cultural and institutional complex where people will get a chance to understand Ambedkar’s thoughts,” an official associated with the project said.Plans also include a library, museum space, picture gallery and a research centre, along with residential facilities for researchers. The state government is also working on a proposal to link the research component with Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar University in Lucknow.Story continues below this adConstruction is being carried out through multiple packages, with Construction and Design Services (C&DS) executing the core structure, while design inputs and specialised components are being handled by private firms. Structural work has largely been completed, and the project has entered its final phase of finishing and external development.With visible progress on the ground — including completed structural buildings, boundary walls and the auditorium shell — officials said the project is on track for completion by mid-2026, with a targeted opening around July.Political significanceThe timing of the project, much like its foundation laying ahead of the 2022 polls, is politically significant. With the 2027 Assembly elections on the horizon, the new memorial is likely to bolster the BJP’s outreach among Dalit communities, positioning the government as both preserving Ambedkar’s legacy and expanding it into a contemporary, knowledge-driven space.The BJP’s renewed focus on Dalit outreach comes in the backdrop of its 2024 Lok Sabha performance in Uttar Pradesh, where the party saw its tally dip to 36 as compared to its sweeping victory in 2019, when it had won 62 of the state’s 80 seats. The reduced tally was largely seen as the result of the Dalit communities rallying behind the Opposition led by the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress.Story continues below this adThis setback has prompted the BJP to recalibrate its social coalition, with a sharper emphasis on symbolic as well as institutional initiatives centred on Ambedkar.UP Culture and Tourism Minister Jaiveer Singh said: “The project is being undertaken in three phases. The works under phase one have been completed and the project will be completed by July 15.”Two memorialsEmphasising how the new complex differs from the existing memorial, Singh said, “This memorial is different from the existing one. The new project has a library, theatre, auditorium and research facilities. Research scholars can avail facilities like hostels here.”Claiming that the new memorial will focus on disseminating Ambedkar’s ideas through modern means, Singh added, “The centre will hold shows through audio-visual and virtual reality to educate people.”Story continues below this adThe minister said efforts were also underway to link its academic component with Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar University. “We are working towards this to ensure academic and research activities are strengthened,” he added.Highlighting the location, Singh said the site’s central placement would make it accessible to large numbers of visitors.***Ambedkar ParkThe Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Sthal, popularly known as Ambedkar Park, is a sprawling 123-acre site located in the Gomti Nagar area of Lucknow. Originally conceptualized in 1995, the project was expanded in 2003 and ultimately inaugurated in 2008 during the BSP government’s tenure. Although the idea dates back to the mid-1990s, it took its final form when the BSP secured a full majority between 2007 and 2012.The complex is not solely dedicated to Ambedkar; it also includes a 6.5-acre Ambedkar Memorial featuring his statues and murals. Additionally, a social change museum within the premises showcases statues and murals of prominent social reformers such as Jyotiba Phule, Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj, and BSP founder Kanshi Ram.Story continues below this adOne of the most striking features of the park is its “elephant gallery”, which consists of 62 large stone elephant statues placed symmetrically on both sides. This aspect of the project once attracted criticism from the Opposition parties, particularly when the BSP government decided to demolish a nearby stadium to incorporate its land into the development.Over time, however, the site has evolved into a popular tourist destination, drawing visitors not only during Ambedkar Jayanti but throughout the year. With the proposed new UP Assembly building being planned on the land of Sahara Shahr in Gomti Nagar, the Ambedkar memorial is expected to stand adjacent to it in the future.