Mumbai: Balasaheb Thackeray's memorial at Mayor's bungalow gets final nod

BMC house of corporators met on Monday and handed over the Mayor’s bungalow located at Shivaji Park for constructing the late Balasaheb Thackeray’s memorial, finally clearing the state government’s proposal.

The improvement committee of BMC headed by BJP’s Prakash Gangadhare had last month cleared the proposal for Balasaheb Thackeray Rashtriya Smarak Nyas (BTRSN) and was due for clearance in the corporation house, however was on hold due to code of conduct. The decision on Monday gives green signal from the civic body to the state government for mayor’s bungalow at Shivaji Park, an iconic heritage structure be converted into a memorial for late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray. 

The proposal states to lease 11,551 sq metres of the mayor’s bungalow plot at Swatantryaveer Savarkar Marg for the Balasaheb’s memorial at a nominal rate of Rs 1 per annum for a period of 30 years. It also says that the BTRSN can use 1.33-floor space index (FSI) for the memorial. It cannot sub-lease or rent the plot to the other party. It also cannot carry out additional construction, repairs or changes without prior permission of civic officials.

As the current Mayor’s term ends on March 8, the new mayor which will be elected by the municipal body will now reside in another bungalow which is yet to be finalised. However, as of now it is expected that mayoral residence may be the bungalow behind zoological garden in Byculla. The bungalow has been vacant for more than a year and repair work has been carried out. The bungalow in the garden is 1500 sq mts smaller from the current bungalow.  But, the state government has allotted another bungalow, the Hydraulic Engineer’s bungalow in Malabar hill. 

Soon after Shiv Sena founder and supremo Bal Thackeray died on November 17, 2012, the party began a hunt for a fitting memorial for him in Mumbai. On the third anniversary of his death, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that the government would hand over a prime piece of property for the memorial. The mayor’s bungalow was finalised, but there was difference of opinion on the decision because it is a heritage site.

However, the state government cleared all judicial hurdles and finally the corporation passed the proposal. The decision of Mayor’s bungalow to be used for the Balasaheb;s memorial faced many objections from the opposition parties specifically MNS.  However, it is final now that the new mayor to be elected in March will reside in the new bungalow which is yet to be allotted by the state government. 

The present Mayor's bungalow at Shivaji Park was bought by the BMC in the year 1962, and Dr BP Devgi was the first mayor to use it as his official residence from 1964-65.