Two of city’s historic grounds to be renovated

To retrace Mumbai’s contribution to India’s freedom struggle, a makeover of Azad Maidan and August Kranti Maidan has been proposed by an NGO. Governor Vidyasagar

To retrace Mumbai’s contribution to India’s freedom struggle, a makeover of Azad Maidan and August Kranti Maidan has been proposed by an NGO. Governor Vidyasagar Rao released the proposal on Monday while saying that he would ask the state government to look into it.

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The Observer Research Foundation (ORF), the NGO that plans on revamping the two grounds, aims at beginning the job by August 15, 2017, the 70th anniversary of Indian Independence.

The August Kranti Maidan is where Mahatma Gandhi delivered his ‘Quit India’ speech in 1942 and the Azad Maidan served as a venue for many protest rallies by freedom fighters during the struggle.

The ORF plans to connect all historic places in the area into one freedom trail. The trail will connect incidents from 1885, beginning from Tejpal Sanskrit College at the edge of August Kranti Maidan and will end at 1942’s Quit India Memorial through Mani Bhavan.

While discussing about the dilapidated state of historic places in Mumbai, Rao also talked about the sorry state of Sardar Gruha.

“I will work towards declaring Sardar Gruha, the structure in Mumbai where Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak used to stay, a national monument and restore its glory. At present it lies in shambles.”