Thackeray memorial may get delayed as bids are 54% higher than the estimated cost

The construction of the proposed memorial of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray at Shivaji Park is likely to get delayed as the bids floated by the Mumbai Metropolitan

The construction of the proposed memorial of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray at Shivaji Park is likely to get delayed as the bids floated by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) for the memorial are 50% higher than the estimated cost of ₹87 crore.

HT Image

The Balasaheb Thackeray Rashtriya Smarak, a public charitable trust, headed by Sena chief and state chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, is yet to take a final call on the design of the proposed memorial, said a trustee.

Urban development department minister Eknath Shinde in a written reply to legislative Council, on Wednesday, said that the bids were cancelled, and the trust will take a call on the further action. “Bids were invited through MMRDA on February 24, 2019, to construct a memorial on the mayor’s bungalow plot in Dadar. Out of the two bids received, lowest bid was 54.50% higher than the estimated cost, and hence it was not accepted. The Balasaheb Thackeray Rashtriya Smarak Trust will decide the future process,” Shinde said in the written reply. Shiv Sena legislator Vilas Potnis sought the status report on the project.

However, architect Shashi Prabhu, who is one of the trustees, said that the bids for the construction are far off as the trust is yet to finalise the design for the memorial. “We have only received one presentation on the design so far, which was good. But we cannot go ahead on just presentation. We need more ideas. Once the design is finalised we will ask them to make working drawings. Construction bids come at a much later stage,” Prabhu said.

The memorial is proposed on the plot that has the mayor bungalow, which is a Grade II-B heritage structure and will not be touched during the construction. There was a plan to make an underground memorial as well, but Prabhu said the plan has been shelved. “We will use it [underground portion] for the car park, nothing else. As far as possible, we will not upset the existing trees,” Prabhu said.