Aurangabad, July 2:
The proposed development of the Balasaheb Thackeray Memorial at Priyadarshini Garden, near MGM Campus, is underway for the last two years. Meanwhile, after witnessing topsy-turvy political changes in Maharashtra, the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) increased the speed of the project.
The AMC city engineer S D Panzade said,” We have invited tenders to undertake myriad works on the campus of the memorial including installation of the life-size statue.”
The administration had selected the site for the memorial in 2016-17. Initially, the state government made a provision of Rs 25.50 crore in its budget to install the statue and develop the sprawling garden on 17 acres of land. Later on, the provision of an additional fund of Rs 9.70 crore was made when the initial fund was found insufficient. After 2019, the then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray took a personal interest in the memorial. Accordingly, the former guardian minister Subhash Desai reviewed the works regularly. Under the guidance of the AMC administrator A K Pandey and the city engineer S D Panzade, the AMC team comprising executive engineer BD Phad and deputy engineer R P Rajput are executing the project.
Phase I works has been completed. It includes the construction of the compound wall, planting saplings of 6,000 new trees of different species etc. The works of internal roads and other civil works are also on verge of completion. Phase II works include the erection of the statue of a height of 51 feet including the height of the pedestal.
Rs 9.70 crore tender
The AMC has invited a tender valuing Rs 9.70 crore on July 1. The works include the erection of the statue; development of an art gallery; installation of a state-of-the-art sound system; lighting system; beautification of campus and other works. The last date to submit quotations is July 25 and the tenders will be opened on July 28. Meanwhile, we have arranged for a pre-bid meeting for the aspiring contractors on July 15, said Panzade.