After getting entangled in a heritage zone row, redemption seems to be in sight for the A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Knowledge Centre and Space Museum project with the State Cabinet giving the go-ahead for the transfer of land on Wednesday.
The facility, which will be jointly run by Indian Space Research Organisation’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and the State government, is planned on 1.3 acres of land close to the Kowdiar Palace.
For establishing a memorial to the former President, often described as the ‘Missile Man of India,’ the State government had transferred 1.75 acres to the VSSC some years ago. But the project did not take off. The initial design for a five-storey complex plus basement space ran afoul of the Heritage Committee in 2019, putting the approximately ₹60 crore project in limbo. The panel argued that the design violated heritage zone regulations.
The design is now being reworked to feature a single-storey structure above the ground and a cellar space, a VSSC official said. While the design is yet to be finalised, the multimedia museum themed on the Indian space programme is likely to be based in the cellar, while the floor above will have a library, a 250-seat convention centre and allied amenities.
The Cabinet on Wednesday approved the fresh allocation of 1.3 acres of land at Kowdiar on a 30-year lease for the project, according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s office.
Dr. Kalam had spent the early years of his career here at Thumba, where the nation’s space programme was born, the reason why Thiruvananthapuram was picked for the memorial to the former President and ‘missile man.’
Following the heritage zone row, the VSSC had begun scouting for alternate sites. The ISRO facility had tentatively decided on Pallipuram in Thiruvananthapuram district where an aerospace park was proposed. But this plan was later dropped. Another plan to use the Kowdiar space for a memorial to Vikram Sarabhai, the father of the Indian space programme, also did not take off.
