Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, accompanied by his son Aaditya, inspected the construction site of the Balasaheb Thackeray National Memorial at the Mumbai Mayor’s bungalow in Dadar on Friday.
Uddhav announced that the memorial’s first phase is complete, and work on the second phase will begin soon and the project is expected to be completed by January next year. He emphasized that the memorial respects the heritage status of the site and addresses environmental concerns.
Constructed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) at a cost of ₹400 crore, the first phase features an underground museum built with state-of-the-art technology. The second phase will depict Bal Thackeray’s life and political journey through advanced techniques such as laser shows, digital mapping, and augmented reality (AR). Visitors will enjoy interactive experiences, including a 270° projection and audiovisuals highlighting Thackeray’s cartoons and speeches.
thackery Constructed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) at a cost of ₹400 crore, the first phase features an underground museum built with state-of-the-art technology. (Express Photo By Ganesh Shirekar.)
During a press conference, Uddhav appealed for public contributions of photos, videos, and recordings of Balasaheb to enrich the museum’s exhibits. He also stressed that only those aligned with Thackeray’s ideology should claim credit for the memorial.
“Some of Balasaheb’s speeches are not available, we are trying to get them and we are also trying to get all the touching memories of him so that those could be showcased in the museum,” said the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief.
Bal Thackeray, a renowned cartoonist and founder of the Shiv Sena, passed away on November 17, 2012. This will be Mumbai’s first museum using AR to provide an immersive, interactive experience of his legacy.