Alternative site for war memorial

The Defence Ministry is looking for an "alternative site" for constructing the National War Memorial as the armed forces' proposal to build it at India Gate complex has been rejected by the Government.

"Unfortunately, we have not been able to find a solution. But again we are trying to find an alternative place for which the discussions are going on," Defence Minister A K Antony said.

The Minister said after paying homage to the martyrs on the 12th anniversary of the Kargil war fought in 1999.

The Minister said the Government was trying to find a solution to the issue "at the earliest".

The armed forces had submitted a proposal three years ago to construct a war memorial within the India Gate complex three years ago but after the rejection of their proposal by the Government recently, they are now looking at new locations for it, Ministry officials said.

The Government had decided against the proposal after certain objections were raised by the Urban Development Ministry.

The India Gate, which at present is the only national war memorial, was built in the pre-independence era for Indian soldiers killed in action during the World War I and the third Anglo-Afghan War.

India does not have a memorial for post-independence martyrs.