Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray held a press conference on Friday at the party headquarters at Shivaji Park to announce the setting up of a national memorial in the memory of his father and founder of the Shiv Sena, Balasaheb Thackeray. The memorial will be constructed in Dadar at the Mumbai mayor's official residence—the Mayor's Bungalow—which is close to the Arabian Sea, and is a heritage building.
Thackeray said that phase one of the memorial, which will be energy efficient and promote sustainability, has been completed, and added that the second phase will begin soon.
"Those who believe in Balasaheb's ideology can visit the memorial. But those who have abandoned Balasaheb's principles cannot take any credit for the memorial," Thackeray said.
What will be the highlights of Bal Thackeray's memorial?
The memorial will include an administration building, entrance block, a heritage enrichment and preservation centre, and an interpretation centre, among others. A large portion of the memorial will be underground, and comprise a state-of-the-art museum, archive, auditorium, buffer tank, underground tank, sewage treatment plant and rain water harvesting tank.
As per the press statement, the memorial which is constructed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) at a cost of Rs 400 crore, will also depict Bal Thackeray’s life and political journey through laser shows, digital mapping and augmented reality (AR) and interactive experiences, including a 270-degree projection and audiovisuals highlighting Thackeray’s cartoons and speeches.
Uddhav Thackeray added that no trees were cut for the project. "In fact, more trees were planted. The number of trees has gone up from 211 to 233 at present. There is lot of greenery on the premises."
Aaditya Thackeray, the late leader's grandson and a member of the trust helming the memorial project, said, “His life was an open book and the memorial should reflect that."
Bal Thackeray was born on January 23, 1927 and died on November 17, 2012. The centenary year will start on January 23, 2026.