Phase 1 of Bal Thackeray Memorial likely to be ready in January 2025

The first phase of the Bal Thackeray Memorial at Veer Savarkar Marg is nearing completion and is likely to be inaugurated by the end of January 2025

Mumbai: The first phase of the Bal Thackeray Memorial at Veer Savarkar Marg is nearing completion and is likely to be inaugurated by the end of January 2025. The bungalow on the Dadar seafront traditionally occupied by the Mumbai mayor was taken over for the project.

Phase 1 of Bal Thackeray Memorial likely to be ready in January 2025

The inaugural event of the memorial could see deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray sharing the same dais for the first time since Shinde split the party in June 2022. Although Uddhav and Shinde are bitter rivals, since the state government is constructing the memorial, protocol demands that chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shinde will be present. The Trust is headed by the Thackerays, so they too will be part of the event

The memorial is being constructed in two phases by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). In March 2021, MMRDA was given the approval to undertake the project at an estimated cost of ₹400 crore: ₹250 crore for the first phase and ₹150 crore for the second one. The memorial was proposed following Thackeray’s death in 2012—back then, the estimated cost was ₹89 crore.

So far, ₹229.74 crore has been spent on the first phase and 99% work is complete. This phase is spread over 6,056.82 square metres of land. A senior MMRDA official confirmed that the first phase would be ready in a month. “The winter session of the Maharashtra legislature at Nagpur will commence on December 16 and is expected to conclude on December 21. It is only after this assembly session a decision on the opening and dedication of the memorial will be taken,” he said.

In March 2021, a work order was issued to Tata Projects to initiate work on the first phase, which included restoration of the mayor’s bungalow, construction of the interpretation centre, entrance block building, administration block and landscaping. Conservationist Abha Narain Lambah is the project management consultant for the initial phase.

The heritage structure, which is spread over 602.39 square metres, will display the history of the Thackeray family, the Sena supremo’s newspaper Saamna, caricatures done by him for various publications and details about the Shiv Sena’s journey since its inception in June 1966. When asked whether the memorial would also display the June 2022 split of the Shiv Sena and the story thereafter, the MMRDA official was tight-lipped.

The administrative block will have 27 parking slots, two multi-purpose halls, two meeting rooms and a security room. The interpretation centre will house a digital as well as a book library, a gallery, three water bodies and public conveniences. The administrative block will have the Balasaheb Thackeray Rashtriya Smarak Trust’s office, conference room, canteen and public conveniences.

The Trust was initially chaired by Bal Thackeray’s son, Uddhav, but he stepped down after taking charge as Maharashtra’s chief minister in November 2019. MLA Aaditya Thackeray, grandson of Bal Thackeray, then became the chairman while senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Subhash Desai was member secretary.

The second phase of the project involves audio-visual elements such as a laser show, signage, branding, digital mapping, audio narration and virtual reality. When the project kicked off, March 2023 was set as the deadline for the first phase, which was rescheduled to August 2023 and then to March 2024.