70 years of Independence From British Raj to freedom story of a Delhi park

As India celebrates its 70 years of independence, the Jama Masjid metro station is operational now and the work has begun on the reconstruction of Netaji Subhas Park in Old Delhi, which was inaugurated originally by the then Prince of Wales as the All-India King Edward Memorial in 1922. The lush green park, spread over around five acres, in the vicinity of the Red Fort and neighbouring Jama Masjid, was dismantled when the metro’s Violet Line was being extended till Kashmere Gate. An impressive ensemble statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose flanked by his INA compatriots was removed to carry out tunnelling and other civil work. It has been restored in the municipal park, sitting on a new pedestal. “Work is currently underway to rebuild the park and we will hold a meeting with the DMRC authorities to get a timeline about its completion,” said North Delhi Mayor Preety Agarwal. The park, which falls under the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), today may have become a symbol of Independence and patriotic fervour, but it originally stood as a monument to British monarch King Edward VII, whose imposing equestrian statue was the centrepiece of the memorial.

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Prakhar Sharma
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