In a significant move aimed at decongesting a key Pune junction, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has unveiled a plan to relocate the statue of the revered Maratha ruler, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. The statue will be shifted from its current corner position to the very centre of the Garware pedestrian subway.
New Plan Overhauls Earlier Beautification Proposal
The decision marks a shift from an earlier proposal that involved only beautifying the existing subway structure. The initial plan, budgeted at approximately Rs 50 lakh, was to construct a protective canopy for the statue at its original location near Lakdi Pul. However, the new strategy involves a more prominent placement for the historical figure.
Rohidas Gavhane, the In-Charge of the Bhavan Rachna Department at PMC, confirmed the development. He stated that while the subway's open-to-sky central section will be beautified with minimal path alterations, the statue's position is set for a major change. The move comes in direct response to demands from local political representatives.
Political Demand and Traffic Management Behind the Shift
A formal proposal tabled by PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram cited specific requests from elected officials. The demand to move the statue to a more central and elevated spot was pushed by Pune MP and Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol, along with other local representatives. The proposal has already cleared the civic standing committee and the general body.
According to Gavhane, the frequent garlanding of the statue and the ensuing gatherings often spill onto the roads, creating traffic bottlenecks on the busy Fergusson College Road and Jangli Maharaj Road link. "The shifting of the statue to the centre will prevent gatherings from spilling onto the road," he explained, highlighting the traffic management angle of the project. The new design includes constructing a high podium for the statue.
Approvals and Timeline for the Project
The project is now awaiting the final green light from the district committee responsible for granting permissions for statue installations. A PMC officer clarified that the financial arrangements for the revised work are still being finalized. The actual construction will commence only after the election code of conduct concludes and the funding process is complete.
This initiative reflects the civic body's attempt to balance heritage respect with pragmatic urban management. By giving the statue of Sambhaji Maharaj a more dignified, central location while simultaneously addressing a persistent traffic issue, the PMC aims to solve two problems with a single, well-considered intervention.
