Construction begins at Ground Zero

NEW YORK: Construction work started on Thursday at the Ground Zero, where once the Twin Towers of World Trade Center stood, for building five skyscrapers, including the tallest and symbolically important 'Freedom Tower'.

Excavation trucks moved into the site, applauded by New York Governor George Pataki, New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and developer Larry A Silverstein, who reached an agreement with other stakeholders over the project after months of wrangling.

Silverstein agreed to surrender the Freedom Towers and another one to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey but would retain control of three office towers which are considered by the real estate analysts to the most valuable on the 16-accre site.

The negotiations dragged on for months but Silverstein agreed to the arrangement after officials of New York and New Jersey states gave him take-it or leave-it offer six days ago.