After failing many deadlines, Thackeray memorial to open in 2025
Four extensions have been given to the project already, with May 2022 as the last date of completion
Mumbai After breaching many deadlines, the much-awaited Balasaheb Thackeray Memorial at Shivaji Park, which is being built in the space that was earlier the mayor’s official bungalow, will take another year to be ready and open to public. Four extensions have been given to the project already, with May 2022 as the last date of completion.
Those in the know have told HT that phase-1 of the project will be complete in August after which the tendering process for phase-2 will begin.
In phase-1, the mayor’s bungalow -- a heritage structure -- has been restored. Although the broad idea of the memorial (smarak) has been fixed, in phase-2 all that will be housed in the museum will be decided. A film on Thackeray is also being planned. While state government had allocated ₹400 crore for the memorial, the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) is the executing authority to float tenders. A senior MMRDA official said that the deadline for the project will be disclosed in the assembly session soon.
The first phase of the project, comprising three structures on around 6,056.82 sqm of land, is in the final leg of completion. The entrance, administrative blocks and a security cabin have been constructed, an interpretation centre (in the basement) built and the bungalow has been restored, complete with landscaping the beautification of the surrounding area.
According to sources, an accurate definition of the interpretation centre in the basement, also called the ‘kund,’ has been a challenge. The centre will have archival material on Thackeray, which will include the late Shiv Sena supremo’s works and books on him, apart from which there will also be a meeting room. The ‘kund’ has been created so that the view of the bungalow is not obstructed. In keeping with eco-sensitivity, 150 trees have been preserved while creating the underground structure, which was a challenge.
“Constructing a 60,000 square feet underground structure while not disturbing a single tree from the root was the biggest concern. The basement is 11-metre-deep which took over a year to just dig. It is an engineering feat with double RCC walls for protection against the sea water and ground water which forms the outer core of the building,” said a source involved in this project. “We will also set up water harvesting schemes. We are adding finishing touches to have it ready by the end of the month.”
The delay happened with the appointment of a contractor for phase-2. In the first half of 2023, MMRDA had invited a tender for the digital work related to the memorial, and appointed a Hyderabad-based agency for the purpose. The agency made a presentation to the Balasaheb Thackeray Smarak Trust on the audio-visual show, digital walls and laser show on the life of the late founder. But the trust—which is dominated by the Thackeray family and party leaders—rejected the plan. “The narrative, the content, the images, the storyline and a film on Balasaheb Thackeray is yet to be decided. It could take eight months to a year to get that bit completed after which the museum can be opened,” said the source.
Conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah is in-charge of the project.
