LUCKNOW, Dec. 15 -- As Prime Minister Narendra Modi is proposed to inaugurate the Rashtriya Prerna Sthal in Lucknow on December 25, 2025, marking the birth anniversary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the BJP is set to add a new political memorial to Lucknow's urban landscape, with the project standing out for its vertical scale rather than expansive spread. Spread across 65 acres in Vasant Kunj, the memorial is modest in area compared to the sprawling parks built by previous governments. Officials say its visual and symbolic impact far outweighs its size, primarily due to the sheer height of the three 63-foot statues of BJP ideologues, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Dr Shyama Prasad Mookerjee. With the Prime Minister's visit less than two weeks away, the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) has ramped up its efforts. Landscaping, lighting, internal pathways, approach roads, and safety arrangements are being completed on a war footing. Municipal authorities, traffic police, the power department, and district administration have all been mobilised. "Instructions have been issued to complete all pending works on priority. The focus is on presentation, safety and crowd management," an LDA official said, adding that the site must be ready well ahead of December 25. Officials associated with the project said each of the three statues stands about 63 feet tall and weighs nearly 42 tonnes. These are the tallest statues installed at any park or memorial in Lucknow so far. Each structure has been mounted on a specially designed foundation to ensure stability in varying weather conditions. "There is no record of any other statue in the city matching this height. The foundation has been designed keeping long-term safety in mind," the official said. Lucknow's urban landscape bears the marks of successive state governments and their respective political priorities. During the tenure of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati, several large memorial parks dedicated to Dalit leaders and social reformers were constructed. These include the Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Sthal in Gomti Nagar, inaugurated in 2008 and spread over about 107 acres, featuring a stupa, red sandstone elephant statues and a museum. Other projects from the same period include the Kanshi Ram Smarak Sthal, Buddha Vihar Shanti Upavan, the Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Ecological Park covering around 112 acres, and Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan, which is used for rallies and public gatherings. During the Samajwadi Party (SP) governments led by late Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav, the focus shifted towards large, green urban spaces. The Janeshwar Mishra Park, inaugurated in August 2014, spans about 376 acres and currently hosts various recreational activities operated under the public-private partnership model. Similarly, the Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Park in Gomti Nagar, developed around 2007, features jogging tracks, open gyms and a large lake. An LDA official said the statue of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia installed there is 20 feet tall. Now the BJP has entered this memorial landscape with its own vocabulary. Where the BSP built wide and the SP built green, the BJP has built tall....