Bal Thackeray Memorial's Phase 1 Set To Open In January 2025: MMRDA's Rs 400 Crore Project May See Uddhav And Shinde Share Dais

The inaugural phase of the Bal Thackeray Memorial at Veer Savarkar Marg, Dadar, is expected to open by the end of January 2025 as work nears completion.

Situated in the former mayor's bungalow on the Dadar waterfront, this memorial commemorates the legacy of Bal Thackeray, the Shiv Sena founder and a Hindutva icon.

In a rare political occurrence, Uddhav Thackeray and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde may reportedly share the dais at the inauguration, marking their first public appearance together since Shinde's 2022 split from the Shiv Sena.

Despite their ongoing political rivalry, both Shinde and Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis are expected to attend the ceremony, given the state government's involvement in the project.

The Thackeray family, as leaders of the Balasaheb Thackeray Rashtriya Smarak Trust, will also play a central role in the event.

The memorial, spearheaded by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), is being constructed in two phases.

Approved in March 2021, the project’s total budget is Rs 400 crore, with Rs 250 crore allocated for the first phase and Rs 150 crore for the second.

Originally proposed after Bal Thackeray’s demise in 2012, the project was initially estimated to cost Rs 89 crore.

So far, Rs 229.74 crore has been spent on the first phase, with 99 per cent of the work now complete.

Spanning 6,056.82 square meters, this phase includes landscaping, administrative blocks, an entryway, an interpretation centre, and the restoration of the mayor’s bungalow.

The heritage building will serve as a repository of Bal Thackeray’s legacy, featuring archives of his cartoons, the Shiv Sena’s newspaper Saamna, and exhibits detailing the party’s evolution since its inception in 1966. 

While the memorial captures significant milestones in the Sena’s journey, the MMRDA has refrained from commenting on whether it will include events surrounding the party’s split in 2022.

The administrative block will house two multipurpose halls, meeting rooms, a security room, a canteen, and public amenities. The interpretation centre will feature galleries, water installations, a library, and digital resources.

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