Everyone is in huge shock after the demise of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. In her remembrance, the State government has decided to allotted Rs. 15 crore for the constructing of a memorial near the MGR memorial on the Marina Beach.

“The money has been allotted and officials have taken the measurements around where Amma was laid to rest. A tender will be floated, and after the minimum required period, work on her memorial will be undertaken at full speed,” the Minister told The Hindu on Friday.

Jayalalithaa was laid to rest within the confines of the MGR memorial, which is spread over eight acres.

Officials of the Public Works Department (PWD) said "the department was yet to come up with a design for the memorial. We are yet to receive a directive from the government in this regard."

“We are only carrying out minor repair work on the site. Temporary arrangements for the provision of tent and barricades around the site have been made. The construction of the memorial is still in the preliminary planning stage,” an official said.

Even as thousands of people gathered at the Marina to pay tribute to Jayalalithaa all through the day, the late Chief Minister’s confidante V.K. Sasikala visited the burial site. She spent some time there.

Tamil Nadu's new Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and some of his senior Cabinet colleagues like P. Thangamani, Edapaddi Palaniswami, Dindigul Srinivasan and S.P. Velumani waited at the barricades when Ms. Sasikala, her sister-in-law Ilavarasi, a few other family members and Jayalalithaa's domestic aides at Veda Nilayam paid their respects. Later, Mr. Panneerselvam and other ministers too paid their respects.

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BY M. DIVYA SRI