Rajghat Samadhi Committee


The Rajghat Samadhi Committee, created by an Act of Parliament called the "Rajghat Samadhi Act, 1951" and "Rajghat Samadhi (Amendment) Act, 1958" is an autonomous body, entrusted with the following responsibilities:

  • To administer the affairs of the Samadhi and to keep the Samadhi in proper order and in a state of good repair;
  • To organize and regulate periodical functions at the Samadhi;

  • To do such other things as may be incidental or conducive to the efficient administration of the affairs of the Samadhi.

Composition of the Committee

The Committee consists of 11 Members as under:

  • Mayor, Delhi Municipal Corporation (ex-officio)

  • Three Officials nominated by the Government

  • Four Non-officials

  • Three Members of Parliament (two from Lok Sabha appointed by the Speaker and one from the Rajya Sabha, appointed by the Chairman)

  • In addition to the above as Members, the Government had appointed the Minister for Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation as Chairman of Rajghat Samadhi Committee as per Clause 4 (2) of the Act, 1951.

The Committee was reconstituted in September 2000 with Sri Jagmohan, the then Minister for Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation, as Chairman and the following as members: Kum. Nirmala Deshpande, Sri Rajmohan Gandhi, Sri GulamNabi Azad, MP, Col. (Retd) Sona Ram Choudhury, MP, Sri G.J. Javiya, MP, Sri Shanti Desai (Mayor Delhi), Dr. Deepak Nayyar (Vice-Chancellor, Delhi University), Sri B.G. Verghese (senior Journalist), Smt. Vineeta Rai (Additional Secretary, M/o UD & PA ), Sri P.S. Bhatnagar (Chief Secretary, NCT of Delhi), and Sri K.S. Srivastava (Joint Secretary, Department of Culture).

Subsequently, Sri Ananth Kumar, Minister for Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation, succeeded Shri Jagmohan as Chairman of Rajghat Samadhi Committee with effect from 31 October, 2001.

Meetings

During the year under Report, the Committee held two meetings on July 2, 2001 and January 8, 2002.

Repair and maintenance

The repair and maintenance of the garden and parks, electric installations and pumps and other structures were entrusted to CPWD’s Horticulture, Electrical and Civil Engineering Divisions.

Functions

As in previous years, special functions were held on 2nd October and 30th January to observe the birth and death anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi. On these two occasions, All - Religion prayer, photo exhibition, sale of Gandhian literature and mass spinning programmes were held.

On 15th August 2001, the Prime Minister visited the Samadhi and paid floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, on the occasion of Independence Day.

Apart from these annual functions, all-religion prayer and spinning programmes were continued to be held regularly every Friday evening throughout the year.

Visitors

Gandhi Samadhi continued to attract large number of tourists and other visitors every day. A very large number of school children also visited Gandhi Samadhi as part of their outdoor activity and excursion.

During the year under Report, 30 high dignitaries visited the Samadhi to pay homage to Gandhiji. They included H.E. Mr Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, H.E. Mr Yoshiro Mori, Prime Minister of Japan, H.E. Bulent Ecevit, Prime Minister of Turkey, H.E. Girija Prasad Koirala, Prime Minister of Nepal, H.E. Mr Islam Karimov, President of Uzbekistan, Mr Anirood Juganauth, Prime Minister of Mauritius, and the King of Morocco.

The distinguished guests offered floral tribute and signed the Visitor's Book. They were presented with a set of books of Gandhiji, a model Charkha, a bust of Bapu, and Scroll containing the "Seven Social Sins" at the time of their visit to Samadhi.

Donation boxes

Traditionally, two donation boxes are placed near the Samadhi in which cash offerings are put by the visitors and these practice was continued during the year. These cash collections are utilized exclusively on the welfare of Harijans, a cause that was dear to Gandhiji. This is being done through another institution founded by Gandhiji, the Harijan Sevak Sangh, since the Rajghat Samadhi Committee has no such project of its own.

Improvement of Samadhi Complex/Work Projects

During the period from April 2000 to December, 2001 a major project to redevelop and beautify the Rajghat Samadhi Complex was undertaken by Government through Central Public Works Department (CPWD). The work involved :

  • Paving the mezzanine side slopes with white sandstones;
  • Re-laying the pathway/ramps with new red sandstones ;
  • Construction of compound wall and regreening of the main areas of the Complex.
  • Introduction of automatic sprinkler system for irrigating the lawns.
  • Demarcation of trees planted by various foreign dignitaries with a low toe wall clad in red sand stone.
  • Laying of pathway/jogging track leading to all such trees and all round the Samadhi and also to Vir Bhumi and Shakti Sthal.
  • Cleaning of the stone blocks in the main Samadhi area by sandblasting.
  • Improvement of drainage of the entire Samadhi area by providing additional storm water pipes including cleaning the existing pipes.
  • Renovation of the Water lagoon
  • Redesigning of the Western (Ring Road) public entry with Gates and facilities for entry of physically challenged.
  • Development of shallow water body with fountain / bubbler
  • Development of a separate Parking Area on the south-eastern Rajghat (behind Gandhi Darshan) on a three-acre plot of land to accommodate 40 buses and 60 cars at a time and installation of four High Mast lights at four corners of Rajghat to light up the entire area.

In addition, provision of facilities like a cafeteria, toilet, tourist information centre, book shop, souvenir shop, florist and phone booth in the parking area is proposed to be done.

The grant-in-aid given to the Samadhi Committee by the Ministry during the year 2000-2001 was Rs. 1.64 Crores.

Accounts and Audit

All expenditures incurred on maintenance and upkeep, establishment, holding of functions, etc. and some of the work projects, were met out of the grant-in-aid received from the Ministry. The cost of the above major redevelopment projects was met by the Government directly.

The accounts for grant received and expenditure incurred are maintained by the Rajghat Samadhi Committee Office and subjected to annual audit by the Principal Director of Audit, Economic and Service Ministries, Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, New Delhi.