Grand Urdu House to come up in Bhiwandi, set to be a cultural landmark

Samajwadi Party MLA from Bhiwandi East, Rais Shaikh, announced that a 2,500-square-metre plot has been officially handed over by the Thane District Collector to the State Minority Development Department for the project

MUMBAI: The city of Bhiwandi, home to one of Thane district’s largest Urdu-speaking populations, is set to get its own Urdu House, a dedicated centre for the promotion of Urdu language, literature and culture.

Grand Urdu House to come up in Bhiwandi, set to be a cultural landmark

Samajwadi Party MLA from Bhiwandi East, Rais Shaikh, announced that a 2,500-square-metre plot has been officially handed over by the Thane District Collector to the State Minority Development Department for the project.

“This is a promise fulfilled,” Shaikh said. “I have been pursuing the proposal since 2021. The Minority Development Department had announced plans in 2022 to construct Urdu Houses across various districts, including Thane. However, Bhiwandi was not on the list, despite its significant Urdu-speaking population. I kept following up with successive governments to ensure the city got its due.”

The MLA said that the land earmarked for the project is located in Nagaon village under the Chavindre Group Gram Panchayat. The plot, spread over 2,500 sq. metres (City Survey Nos. 3087–3101), was originally reserved for cattle grazing. After due process to lift the reservation, it was transferred to the Minority Development Department. “The Bhiwandi Tehsildar has also handed over the 7/12 extract, the land ownership record, to the department,” Shaikh added.

The MLA also shared details of the upcoming facility’s design. “The blueprint is ready. The Urdu House will feature a large auditorium, two meeting halls, a women’s rest room, two washrooms, a library, a manager’s office, a storage room, parking area, and a refreshment corner,” he said.

Shaikh described the project as more than just an infrastructure initiative, a cultural milestone for the city. “The Urdu House will become a new hub for literary and cultural activities, offering a space for poets, writers, and students to engage with Urdu’s rich heritage,” he said. “We have already built Thane district’s first digital school in Bhiwandi. Now, giving the city its own Urdu House brings me immense joy.”

Highlighting the linguistic importance of the move, Shaikh noted that as per the 2011 Census, Bhiwandi has nearly 1,25,000 Urdu-speaking residents — the highest in Thane district.