Three-and-a-half years later, museum at Nana wada awaits visitor footfall

More than three years since it was developed by PMC and inaugurated by the then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in June 2019, the museum at Nana wada has still not been opened for public

More than three years since it was developed by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and inaugurated by the then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in June 2019, the museum at Nana wada has still not been opened for the public. When Hindustan Times questioned the civic administration over the delay, the PMC assured that the museum would soon be opened for the public. Civic officials attributed the delay to first the Covid-19 pandemic for nearly two years and then the slow pace of the PMC administration in appointing an agency for running the newly-introduced initiatives. Sunil Mohite of the PMC heritage department, said, “The sports and culture department will run the show at Nana wada and the museum. They have appointed an agency for the same and very soon, the wada will be opened for the public.”

More than three years since it was developed by PMC and inaugurated by the then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in June 2019, the museum at Nana wada has still not been opened for public. (RAVINDRA JOSHI/HT)

The PMC had acquired Nana wada (near Shaniwar wada and Dagadusheth temple) in 1953 and begun its conservation in 2010. In 2019, the PMC spent around ₹3.5 crore on the construction of the museum, including arrangements for an audio-visual show for the public at Nana wada. There were two parts to the project, the first being the 250-year-old wada with the classic Peshwa architecture and the second being the museum. The PMC tried to retain the original essence of Nana wada by using Sagwan wood, the same variety used in the original structure. Nana wada has arches, balconies like the Meghdambari, ornamental domes flanking the balconies on either side, and a central courtyard with carved wooden pillars and domes. Built in 1780 by Nana Phadnavis - the chief administrative officer of the Peshwas - Nana wada is one of the oldest heritage sites in the city offering a peek into the Peshwa era.

After constructing the museum, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-controlled PMC then hurriedly inaugurated the museum at the hands of the then chief minister, Fadnavis, on June 20, 2019.

Former standing committee chairman Hemant Rasne, who is also representing this area, said, “Former mayor Mukta Tilak took the initiative for this project. Ideally, it’s the administration’s responsibility to open it for the public. We can understand the museum being closed for two years during the pandemic but even after the pandemic, the administration failed to open it.”

“When I was the standing committee chairman, I approved charges of ₹25 for adults and ₹10 for children as entry fees to Nana wada. The administration needs to open it at the earliest,” Rasne said.