NEW YORK, Sept 10: As the families of victims of the Sept 11 attacks prepare to mark a fourth anniversary of the deadly day, plans for the World Trade Centre site remain mired in controversy.

Looking at everything from a proposed Freedom Tower skyscraper to a cultural centre at the site that is now a weedy dusty pit, families are criticizing the plans as irrelevant to the lives lost.

“There is something within the national psyche that recognizes this spot as graveyard,” said Colleen Kelly, whose brother died in the towers felled by two hijacked jets. “A lot of the conflict is stemming from an internal reaction recognizing this is a sacred space.”

While politicians try to put on brave faces and stage various groundbreakings in the area known as Ground Zero, relatives complain that the cultural centre is inappropriate.

A dispute erupted between architect Daniel Libeskind and Trade Centre leaseholder Larry Silverstein over the design of the centrepiece skyscraper. The first design was criticized for security flaws.

This week, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said although the next six months will see $10 billion of public and private construction, he isn’t satisfied.

“Given the magnitude of the project, the progress probably wasn’t adequate,” he said.

Plans called for the cultural centre to house an International Freedom Centre museum and an art gallery called The Drawing Centre.

But the Drawing Centre drew criticism for displaying political art and withdrew. The Freedom Centre has been forced to submit more detailed plans later this month.—Reuters

MUSLIMS TO JOIN WALK: Muslims living in and around the US capital will join a unity walk on Sunday as America observes the fourth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, adds Anwar Iqbal from Washington.