Marathi Bhasha Bhavan to be built in Mumbai

A proposal to build a grand Marathi Bhasha Bhavan in Mumbai was approved on Tuesday.

The building would be housed in the sea-facing Jawahar Bal Bhavan near the Charni Road station and Girgaum Chowpatty.

The 3.6-km-long Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Marg, popularly called Marine Drive aka Queen’s Necklace a 'C'-shaped six-lane concrete road along the Arabian Sea - and is a prominent landmark of Mumbai.

The proposal was okayed at a meeting presided over by Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, which was attended by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who holds the finance and planning portfolios and industries and Marathi languages minister Subhash Desai.

The Marathi Bhasha Bhavan in Marine Drive - which would be spread over a 2,500 sq mt plot, would act as the main centre and headquarters.

The government plans to commence the construction from December 2021 and the project is expected to be complete in 18 months time. The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) has been selected as the implementing agency.

Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte, Principal Secretary Bhushan Gagrani, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Vikas Kharge and MIDC CEO Dr P. Anbalagan were present on the occasion.

The Marathi Bhasha Bhavan would have a conference hall, exhibition centre, libraries and so on.

Many sports clubs are also situated along the stretch of Marine Drive, including members-only clubs like the Cricket Club of India, adjoining the Brabourne Stadium, and Garware Club House, adjacent to the famous Wankhede Stadium, as well as others like the Mumbai Police Gymkhana, PJ Hindu Gymkhana, Islam Gymkhana, Parsi Gymkhana and Catholic Gymkhana.

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