Fadnavis announces ₹50cr for Shivshrusti project, stresses on fort conservation

PUNE: CM Fadnavis announced ₹50 crore for Shiv Shrusti park and plans for a grand Shivaji memorial in Agra, emphasizing Maharashtra's cultural heritage.

PUNE: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday announced that the state government would allot ₹50 crore for the third phase of Shiv Shrusti, a historical theme park being developed at Ambegaon by the Shivchhatrapati Pratishthan. He made the announcement after paying tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji at his birthplace Shivneri Fort on his 395th birth anniversary.

Pune, Feb 19 (ANI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis pays floral tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj during the inauguration of the 'Jai Shivaji-Jai Bharat' padyatra in Pune on Wednesday. (ANI Photo) (CMO Maharashtra X)

Fadnavis, who called the Maratha warrior king a “management guru” and “exemplary administrator” and emphasised his vision for a welfare state, attended multiple events marking the occasion, including the traditional ‘cradle ceremony’ at Shivneri Fort and a commemorative march. He later inaugurated the second phase of Shiv Shrusti, conceptualised by the late historian Babasaheb Purandare.

The CM underscored the state government’s commitment to preserving Maharashtra’s forts, acknowledging the challenges faced in restoration efforts. “We had planned to recreate Shivaji Maharaj’s coronation at Raigad, but working with the archaeological department is complex,” he said. “Even placing a single brick is difficult. While the state government works on restoring Raigad, Shiv Shrusti in Pune will be completed first.”

Fadnavis also announced that 12 forts from Maharashtra had been nominated for UNESCO World Heritage Site status under an initiative by PM Narendra Modi. A team led by minister Ashish Shelar will soon present Maharashtra’s case at a UNESCO event in Paris. “We are also working tirelessly to ensure conservation of the forts by removing encroachments,” he said. “A task force has been formed to clear all such sites.”

Every political party in Maharashtra celebrated Shiv Jayanti in its own way. The Congress celebrated at its party headquarters, Tilak Bhavan, where state president Harshwardhan Sapkal, along with other leaders, paid his respects to the king. The NCP organised a ‘Shiv rally and bike rally’ from Shivaji Park to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk in Chembur, in which Chhagan Bhujbal and MP Praful Patel took part.

The NCP chose the day to kickstart the party’s Swarajya Yatra, a kind of cultural-political event which will continue till Marathi Bhasha Din on February 27. During this week, students, youngsters and the fort conservation department will carry out fort-cleaning drives, while NCP ministers will visit important forts like Panhala, Harishchandragad, Sinhagad, Salher and Purandar for public celebrations. The NCP women’s wing, on its part, is to conduct several activities under the ‘Rajmata Jijau’s Shivba’ programme such as rangoli competitions and the singing of powadas or songs praising the bravery of Maratha king and his commanders.

The NCP has also organised lectures on Shivaji’s governance model and exhibitions of historical paintings, books and artefacts from the Shivaji era. The party’s minority cell will host a lecture titled ‘Sabka Raja Shivaji Raja’. The aim of these activities is to expand the party’s base for the upcoming local body elections.

As per tradition, the government organised Shiv Jayanti celebrations at two places—one at Shivneri Fort and the second at Agra, from where the Hindu king escaped from Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s house arrest. When asked about recent remarks made by actor Rahul Solapurkar contradicting the manner of his escape, Fadnavis threatened: “Anyone who insults Shivaji Maharaj will be shown their real place. Such people will not be forgiven by the followers of Shivaji.”

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday evening in Shiv Jayanti function at Agra fort announced that Maharashtra government will build grand memorial of Shivaji Maharaj in Agra at Meena Bazar - where Shivaji Maharaj was kept in house arrest by Aurangzeb. “We will build grand memorial of Shivaji Maharaj here in Agra at the place where he was kept in house arrest. People come to Agra to see the Taj Mahal now but in the future they will come to see this memorial. We will acquire the land in today’s Meena Bazar area. I will speak to Chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath about this.” said Fadnavis.