Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Government is installing a statue of former Prime Minister Bharat Ratan Atal Bihari Vajpayee at The Ridge Maidan of the Shimla city.

State Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today visited The Mall and The Ridge, Shimla and inspected the proposed sites for erection of the statue.

The Chief Minister said that the state government has decided to erect a statue of the former Prime Minister at some suitable place at The Ridge as a mark of respect to the great leader who had special love and affection for Himachal Pradesh and its people.

The Chief Minister said that efforts would be made to unveil the statue on 25th December this year on the birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Urban Development Minister Suresh Bhardwaj, Mayor Satya Kaundal, Principal Secretary J.C.Sharma, Deputy Commissioner Amit Kashyap, Engineer-in-Chief, PWD Bhawan Sharma, Commissioner MC Shimla Pankaj Rai  were preset on the occasion among others.