CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu government has proposed a 42-metre tall huge Pen Monument to honour former Chief Minister, late Muthuvel Karunanidhi for his contribution to Tamil literature. The estimated cost of the monument, that is coming up in the Bay of Bengal off the Marina beach, will be above Rs 80 crore.
The proposed site of the 'Muthamizh Arignar Dr Kalaignar Pen monument' has been given green signal by the state level authorities and is waiting for clearance from the Union Ministry for Environment, Forests and Climate change.
The monument would be situated 360 metres from the shore and the visitors from the present memorial of Karunanidhi that is under construction will have to use a bridge to reach this.
The bridge, according to officials of Public Works Department of the Agovernment of Tamil Nadu, would be about 650 metres long, 290 metres over the land and 360 metres over the sea.
Late Karunanidhi was more than a politician, a man of letters, and authored several books. He was known for his contribution in various aspects of Tamil literature.
The state government is already in the process of constructing a memorial for the late Chief Minister at the Perarignar Anna Memorial and Museum campus at a total cost of Rs 39 crore and the Pen monument is in addition to this project.
The monuments of former Chief Ministers, late M.G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa are also situated at the Marina beach.