PUNE: As the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Bridge connecting Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) headquarters with Shaniwar Wada is completing 100 years of its existence this Sunday, a special programme has been organised to commemorate the occasion.
The bridge, which begins at Mangala Theatre and ends in front of Shaniwar Wada, was built during the British rule by Rao Bahadur Ganpatrao Mahadeo Kenjale under the aegis of Sir George Lloyd, the then governor of the Bombay Presidency. (HT PHOTO)
Adorned with flowers and traditional rangoli, the bridge will wear a festive look as the cornerstone is laid to the reverberating beat of dhol-taasha. A special documentary on the ‘Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Bridge’ will also be unveiled in the presence of several dignitaries.
The bridge, which begins at Mangala Theatre and ends in front of Shaniwar Wada, was built during the British rule by Rao Bahadur Ganpatrao Mahadeo Kenjale under the aegis of Sir George Lloyd, the then governor of the Bombay Presidency. It was known as the Lloyd Bridge and was renamed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Bridge post-independence. The ceremony to mark a century of the bridge’s existence on Sunday is being organised by the Kenjale family in the presence of Pune guardian minister Chandrakant Patil and municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar.
Abhijit Kenjale, the second great-grandson of Rao Bahadur Ganpatrao Mahadeo Kenjale, said, “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Bridge is a landmark that was built to connect ‘Bhamburda’ to Pune in 1923. It split the city into eastern and western Pune. My second great-grandfather was given the title of Rao Bahadur during the British rule for his work in public welfare, and building this bridge was part of that. The bridge was conceptualised by lieutenant colonel E S Prose who was in charge of public infrastructure development in the British government.”
“Built with black basalt, the bridge is not just a testament of strong quality work which has withstood the test of time, but also an architectural marvel with delicate carvings on both sides. In today’s times too, it serves as a landmark that connects the PMC with the historic Shaniwar Wada and oversees the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) hub. The bridge lies over the Mutha River and has been given grade 2 heritage status by the PMC,” he said.
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