Following the controversy over the repair of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj mural at Thane Municipal Corporation’s (TMC) headquarter, the basic repair work will begin from Monday.
The general body had asked the corporation to float tenders for the repair.
On Friday, civic commissioner Sanjeev Jaiswal said that focus would be on basic repair of the mural. He has approved ₹20 lakh for work.
The civic commissioner surveyed the mural on Friday and expressed that the priority will be to stop the further deterioration of the mural.
A huge mural of Chhatrapati Shivaj’s darbar is installed in the TMC’s headquarters at Panchpakhadi.
A major scuffle broke out between the Maratha Community (Sakal Maratha Samaj) and the Shiv Sena over the repair of the mural on Tuesday.
The Maratha community said that the repair work of the mural was stuck for over three years.
Jaiswal said, “It is necessary to undertake the repair work of the mural. I have approved a budget of ₹20 lakh under emergency funds for the work.”
“I have given orders to start the repair work in the next two days. If any part is broken, priority should be to repair this part at the earliest. A proper light arrangement will also be installed above the mural. We will also come up with some way to ensure birds do not sit on the mural and damage it,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“I have given orders to start the repair work in the next two days. If any part is broken, priority should be to repair this part at the earliest. A proper light arrangement will also be installed above the mural. We will also come up with some way to ensure birds do not sit on the mural and damage it,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}The Shiv Sena on Tuesday had demanded to allocated ₹99 lakh for the repair work of the mural.
However, Jaiswal said that it is a future provision. The present funds are only for emergency repairs to ensure the mural is not damaged further.
The Sena claimed that the mural needs major repair works and not just basic cleaning.
A Sena leader requesting anonymity said, “The repair work of the mural was proposed three years ago and a budget of ₹99 lakh was allotted for it. The mural needs a major facelift. Mere cleaning will not help. The repair work should be done through proper tendering process.”