MUMBAI: The completion of the first phase of the Bal Thackeray memorial at Shivaji Park, initially expected by May 2022, has faced repeated extensions and is now anticipated to be finished by mid-March 2024. Despite being 91 percent complete, the second phase faces delays as the Thackeray Smarak Trust voices concerns and insists on the appointment of a new contractor. The matter is now under review by the urban development department, led by CM Eknath Shinde, which is poised to make a final decision.
Phase 1 involves the construction of the entrance block, administrative block, and interpretation center, along with the preservation of the cultural heritage of the former mayor’s bungalow, slated to house the Thackeray museum. Additionally, landscaping and beautification of the surrounding area are part of this phase. The subsequent phase encompasses the installation of audio-visual and technological components crucial for presenting the Thackeray narrative.
The latest delay arose when the Thackeray Smarak Trust expressed dissatisfaction with the contractor appointed for Phase 2. In the first half of 2023, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), responsible for the memorial’s construction, tendered for digital work related to the project and engaged a Hyderabad-based agency. However, the trust, predominantly influenced by the Thackeray family and party leaders, rejected the proposed plan after a presentation by the agency.
An MMRDA official stated that, as per guidelines, the project needed to be completed in consultation with the Thackeray Smarak Trust. The trust’s dissatisfaction led to a request to replace the contractor, prompting the matter to be forwarded to the urban development department for a final decision, expected soon.
The state government granted administrative approval for the Thackeray memorial in 2021. While Uddhav Thackeray initially chaired the Smarak Trust, he resigned after becoming the Chief Minister in November 2019, appointing Aaditya Thackeray as chairman. Senior party leader Subhash Desai serves as the member secretary of the trust.
