May 9, 2026 – Shaheed Smarak Park, opposite Manan Dham Temple, Meerut Road, Ghaziabad – Construction work for an open-air theater commenced here today.
Colonel Tejendra Pal Tyagi (recipient of the Vir Chakra), National President of the Rashtriya Sainik Sanstha, stated that when the decision to establish Shaheed Smarak Park was originally taken, the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) signed an agreement with the Rashtriya Sainik Sanstha on April 6, 2016. This agreement stipulated that Shaheed Smarak Park would be developed to a standard surpassing even "state-of-the-art" facilities. Within this park, 12 years ago, the Rashtriya Sainik Sanstha had planted saplings in the names of martyrs; today, these have grown into majestic Banyan trees.
On February 1, 2020, Smt. Kanchan Verma—the then Vice-Chairperson of the Ghaziabad Development Authority—had publicly pledged to construct an "Open-Air Theater" at this site during an event organized by the Rashtriya Sainik Sanstha at Shaheed Smarak Park, making this promise before the entire assembly. Despite continuous advocacy and follow-up by the Rashtriya Sainik Sanstha, it took six years for this promise to finally be fulfilled.
A salute was offered to the martyrs at the Shaheed Stambh (Martyrs' Pillar), following which the construction work for the open-air theater was formally inaugurated with traditional rituals, prayers, and the chanting of mantras. Mr. Yogesh Patel (Executive Engineer, GDA), Mr. Pandey (Assistant Engineer), and other officials from the Ghaziabad Development Authority stated that this project is scheduled to be completed within six months. The open-air theater will feature seating arrangements for 500 people. Comprehensive facilities—including a green room, rest rooms, a projector room, and separate washrooms—will be provided.
Patriotic films and documentaries will be screened at the open-air theater. Students from various schools will be invited here in rotation to be educated on the significance and value of a soldier's martyrdom. National integration and character building begin at the Martyr's Memorial; for when a soldier from Visakhapatnam makes the supreme sacrifice for the nation in Kashmir, he leaves a message for the country's youth: that while tolerance is an integral part of individual character, it must be absolutely absent from the national character. Bearing this in mind, administrative officers were called upon today to come and bow their heads at the Martyr's Memorial immediately after joining their duties.