The Maharashtra Cabinet has approved ₹400 crores for the conversion of the Mayor’s bungalow at Shivaji Park into the Balasaheb Thackeray Memorial, honouring the late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray.
This comes as the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) recently approved the addition of a fourth building to the proposed memorial complex. Officials said that the construction of buildings for the complex will be concluded in Phase 1 of the project and will cost ₹250 crores.
Phase 2 will cover technological installations such as virtual reality, audiovisual facility, laser show, digital mapping, among others at a cost of ₹150 crores. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority will provide for the initial expenditure as per a press release by the government.
Also read - CM Uddhav Thackeray Unveils Balasaheb Thackeray's Statue On Birth Anniversary
The original proposal sent by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to the MCZMA said that the upcoming memorial complex will be spread across 1,19,130 sq feet of area. The civic body has gone through the entire construction plan in adherence to the 1967 Development Control Regulations for the region under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) and Development Control Promotion and Regulations - 2034 for the portions of the project that are non-CRZ.
The Mayor’s bungalow will reportedly be home to the museum. This area is situated under CRZ II which is a region where municipal laws apply. Further, the second building will have a library, archives, an art gallery, a museum shop, a water fountain, and an interpretation centre.
Building number three will house a café, an artisans room, and an office. Lastly, the fourth structure in the project will have upper and lower basements with the latter being used for stacked car parking while the upper floor will be used for assembly. The ground floor of this building will have ticket counters, reception, and restrooms.
Read - BMC Launches ‘Mission Zero’ In Mumbai Again To Combat COVID-19
The BMC has recently clarified that the total built-up area of the complex will be around 60,000 square feet while the MCZMA has cautioned that if the actual construction goes beyond 2,00,000 square feet, the civic body will need to get requisite environmental clearances.
The civic body has been recommended to restrict the number of trees cut for this project while adding that the Mayor’s bungalow should be retained and no construction work will be allowed towards the sea-facing portion of the plinth.
Also read - BMC Reveals ₹4 Crore Makeover For Shivaji Park To Mitigate Dust Concerns
Share
Tweet
