The Bhide Wada memorial project in Pune is expected to be inaugurated before March 2027, but Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal has expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of construction and said the project has already faced considerable delays.
Bhujbal reviewed the ongoing work at the historic site during his Pune visit and said a substantial portion of the construction had been completed. He added that the memorial could be inaugurated before March 2027, although he expressed a desire for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to conduct the opening ceremony because Modi had performed the foundation-laying ceremony for the project.
The minister said the project did not face a shortage of funds. According to his statement, ₹200 crore had been approved for the work following repeated follow-up by Ajit Pawar, while the chief minister and Eknath Shinde had also contributed to efforts related to the project. Bhujbal said the remaining requirement was cooperation from officials and local activists to move the work forward.
He described the delay as a matter of concern and said he had raised a complaint about the slow pace of construction with authorities in Mumbai. At the same time, Bhujbal said he was not making a complaint against any particular individual, while making clear that he was not fully satisfied with the speed of the work.
Bhide Wada is associated with the work of social reformers Savitribai Phule and Jyotirao Phule. Bhujbal said people from all communities had participated in the work of Mahatma Phule. He also referred to activist Baba Adhav’s repeated agitations seeking the development of a memorial at the site.
The project has therefore remained linked not only to the conservation of a historic location but also to the creation of a public memorial commemorating the Phules’ contribution to education and social reform. The minister’s comments place the focus on the gap between financial approval and on-ground execution, with the project now working towards a deadline before March 2027.
Bhujbal’s remarks came during a media interaction in Pune. He said the authorities and local stakeholders would need to cooperate to ensure that the remaining work progresses and that the proposed inauguration timeline is met.
