Thackeray memorial to be completed by January next year: Uddhav

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, accompanied by his son Aaditya, inspected the construction site of the Balasaheb Thackeray National Memorial at the Mayor’s bungalow in Dadar on Friday.

Uddhav announced that the memorial’s first phase is complete, and work on the second phase will begin soon and the project, a unique underground structure located on a seafront, is expected to open to the public in January 2026, coinciding with the commencement of Thackeray’s birth centenary year.

Innovative design for safety

Given the memorial’s location, a cutting-edge ‘double-wall flask’ design has been employed to ensure safety from water leakage, even during extreme weather events like the devastating July 26, 2005, Mumbai floods. The design features two walls separated by a four-foot gap, offering robust protection. Additionally, an underground water tank system known as the ‘Kund’, measuring seven metres deep, 70 metres long, and five metres wide, has been constructed to manage rainwater effectively. “This design ensures that the memorial remains safe even during two days of continuous heavy rainfall,” explained Sushil Singh, owner of StudioStruct, the structural engineering firm responsible for the project.

The memorial

The memorial’s total construction spans 40,000 square feet in the underground area, with an additional 10,000 square feet allocated within the heritage Mayor’s Bungalow. Another 10,000 square feet have been utilised for an administrative block and cafeteria. Architect Abha Narain Lambah, who conceptualised and executed the project, overcame challenges posed by coastal regulatory zone and heritage structure restrictions by opting for an underground design.

Lambah shared her emotional connection to Balasaheb Thackeray, citing his contributions to the Kashmiri Pandit community. “My mother’s family, displaced from the Kashmir Valley, benefited from Thackeray’s efforts to secure educational reservations for Kashmiri Pandits in Maharashtra,” she said. “He also upheld the dignity of Marathi men and women in Mumbai, which is a critical contribution.”

Balasaheb’s enduring legacy

The second phase of the memorial, which includes a museum, library, photo gallery, and an audio-visual showcase of Balasaheb’s life, is set to commence soon. “The concept and designs for the second phase have been finalised, and work will begin shortly. We aim to open the memorial to the public by January 23, 2026, marking Balasaheb’s centenary year,” said Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray during a press conference.

Contributions and acknowledgements

Thackeray praised Lambah and her team for their innovative approach and execution of the project. He also acknowledged the Maharashtra government’s role in the memorial’s construction, adding, “The MMRDA continues to support the project, and there is no issue regarding credit for the work.” Addressing questions about the memorial’s inauguration, Uddhav Thackeray remarked, “Whoever is in power, both at the Centre and in Maharashtra, may attend the event. Political circumstances are unpredictable.”

Aaditya Thackeray, meanwhile, estimated that the second phase would take approximately eight months to complete, ensuring readiness for the January 2026 inauguration.