The height of the proposed Bal Thackeray Memorial at Shivaji Park has been reduced from 1.5 metre to 1.2 metre following the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee’s (MHCC) objections. The committee has also asked the Bal Thackeray Memorial Trust to level the ground in such a way that the new structure’s height is reduced further and people get an unobstructed view of the Mayor Bungalow. The memorial will be in a new structure constructed in front of the bungalow after demolishing a roundabout.
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The plan
The State government has approved converting the Mayor Bungalow at Shivaji Park into a memorial for the Shiv Sena founder. The two-storey sea-facing bungalow is a Grade II-B heritage structure. Its reservation was recently changed to a memorial in the Development Plan 2034.
The trust, represented by architect Abha Lambah, has proposed creating a separate structure for the main memorial. The new structure will include an underground structure and an overground portion. It will house an art gallery, library, seminar and lecture hall. It will also have a small pond on the terrace that would reflect the bungalow. Besides, the premises will have an amenity block and an open parking area. The existing servants’ quarters will be demolished to create a new block in the northeast corner. The trust has also proposed a sloping-roof structure that will have a visitors’ centre, café, and an administrative office.
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The committee did not consider an alternative location for the memorial, a parking lot, as it would require cutting of trees.
The MHCC conducted a site visit in May, after the proposal came before it. At the time, it had recommended curtailing the height of the overground portion as it would block the view of the bungalow from the entrance. The committee has further recommended levelling the ground so that the top of the new structure matches the plinth of the old one. In a meeting on June 5, MHCC asked for the height of the structure to be reduced.
Trustee and State Industries Minister Subhash Desai said, “We have accepted their recommendation. We don’t want to build any superstructure, or disturb the bungalow in any way. The bungalow will also be a part of the memorial where people will get glimpses into Balasaheb’s life through photographs and his cartoons.”
While the committee had already given its approval, it has asked for final drawings and the plans for restoration and internal changes to the bungalow.