The much-anticipated second phase of the Tajbagh development project in Nagpur remains in a state of limbo, caught in a procedural delay that has stretched for over two-and-a-half years. Despite receiving formal financial approval from a high-level state committee in March 2024, the project cannot commence as the mandatory government notification is yet to be issued, leaving local residents and stakeholders in prolonged uncertainty.
Approval Granted, But Notification Awaited
The journey of the Tajbagh Development Plan (Phase-2) has been a lengthy one. The Nagpur Metropolitan Region Development Authority (NMRDA) prepared a detailed project report with an initial estimated cost of Rs 224.51 crore. This proposal was submitted to the state planning department on March 15, 2024, seeking administrative approval.
A high-powered committee, chaired by the chief secretary, reviewed the proposal just three days later on March 18, 2024. After detailed discussions, the committee suggested certain modifications and approved a significantly revised outlay of Rs 95.18 crore. The committee agreed to forward this revised proposal to the apex committee for final clearance, and the high-level committee formally approved this allocation in March 2024.
However, the critical step that follows—the issuance of an official government notification to sanction the funds and authorize work—has not materialized. This absence of a formal directive is the primary roadblock preventing any physical progress on the ground.
Political Promises and Community Appeals
The delay is particularly frustrating for the local community as the project has received high-level political attention. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had announced funding for the second phase during the annual Urs of Tajbagh in 2023, raising hopes for swift implementation.
During the Nagpur winter session, concerned office-bearers of the Hazrat Baba Tajuddin Trust took the matter directly to the Chief Minister. A delegation, which included chairman Pyare Khan, secretary Taj Ahmed Raja, vice president Dr. Surendra Jichkar, and trustees like Mustafa Bhai Topiwala and Haji Farooq Bhai Baila, met with Fadnavis to highlight the pending notification.
The Chief Minister reportedly assured the delegation that work on the project would begin soon. According to the Trust, the second phase is crucial as it will primarily focus on the rehabilitation and resettlement of local residents, in alignment with a 2013 state government policy for citizens living on trust land in Tajbagh. The phase also encompasses several key infrastructure and civic development works essential for the area.
Legacy of Phase-1 and Urgent Calls for Action
Compounding the wait for Phase-2 are lingering incomplete works from the first phase. Certain components, including the construction of a smaller dargah (Chhoti Dargah) and a chadarkhana, are still pending. The tender process for the Chhoti Dargah reportedly failed and is now proposed to be completed using existing funds from the earlier phase.
This context makes the commencement of Phase-2 even more urgent for holistic development. Stakeholders and residents are now fervently urging the Maharashtra government to issue the final notification at the earliest. They argue that further delays are hindering not just infrastructure development but also the vital process of rehabilitating families who have been waiting for years.
The ball is now firmly in the state government's court. Until the official notification is published, the Rs 95.18-crore Tajbagh Phase-2 development project will remain a plan on paper, and the much-needed transformation of the area will stay on hold.
