Jamshedpur, Jan. 23: The much-neglected statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at Aambagan will soon be replaced with a new one.

At a function to mark the 110th birth anniversary of the freedom fighter, land revenue and reform minister Dulal Bhuiyan said: “The UPA government will bring a full-size statue to replace the old sculpture as a tribute to the leader.”

Inaugurated by then chief minister Arjun Munda in 2003, the statue at Aambagan was suffering from negligence not only from the government but also from general public. Within the span of four years, the spectacles were being burgled twice.

“We are planning to replace the old statue. Once the replacement work is over, we would donate the old statue to a trust. We plan to hold a huge function to inaugurate the new statue,” he said.

Bikash Mukherjee, the president of Jharkhand Bango Bhashi Samonmoy Samiti, said: “More than a new statue, the need of the hour is maintaining the place. The government has presented the statue and now it is their duty to look after it.”

A joint letter have been sent to the railway minister to suggest to name the new bridge after Netaji, as he was closely related to Jamshedpur as the president of Tata Workers’ Union, he said.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Vichar Manch on Tuesday celebrated the 110th birth anniversary of the freedom fighter at a function organised at the G Town Ground in Bistupur.