Nagpur: The forlorn looking building on the banks of Sakkardara Lake is set for a facelift as Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) has proposed to construct a museum for housing artefacts dating back to the time of Chhatrapati Shivajiraje Bhosale Maharaj.
Long back, NIT took an ambitious decision and let out the space on the banks of Sakkardara Lake where a restaurant was constructed by Centre Point Group. The restaurant — Bollywood Centre Point — theme and venture was quite novel and initially it drew curious Nagpurians. Over the years, however, the experiment of sipping tea/coffee or having plain snacks failed to enthuse Nagpurians. Reason, the unbearable stench from the water in Sakkardara Lake. So, the patronage dwindled and Centre Point Group did not renew the lease.
The NIT tried hard to rope in new parties, but everyone was wise as the investment was not fruitful due to the pitiable state of Sakkardara Lake. The Bollywood Centre Point finally folded-up in 2016 and thereafter there were no takers for the lake site. The concrete platform and a shed constructed by erstwhile owners remained intact, but without any maintenance. So the place was a living example of another failed venture in the city.
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Tuesday 25 March 2025
The meeting was held at Headquarters on Monday. During the meeting, a proposal to develop a commercial hub was finalised. The commercial complex is meant to attract investment as ample space is available at the spot. Besides an indoor sports stadium is also going to be housed in the building that would provide added attraction to the spot. The stadium would be a boon for sportspersons in South Nagpur who otherwise are deprived of such in-house facilities that are now hot spots for youngsters and fitness enthusiasts. The indoor sports academies have sprang-up in Western part of the city of late and are a huge hit among people.
Also, a hall would be available for various programmes in the said complex by the lake side. As for the museum, the decision stemmed from the fact that the Sakkardara Lake was built during the regime of Bhosale Kingdom in Nagpur. The lake was a military base for the King’s army but post independence and abolition of Princely States the site fell on bad times. With rapid urbanisation and poor civic hygiene the lake was reduced to a dumping yard and together with apathy of rulers and bureaucrats the pristine glory of the water body faded away.
Although now efforts are on to renew the Sakkardara lake with funds provided by the Central Government, the project is still in its infancy. Meanwhile the Board also approved a plan for construction of a swimming pool at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Sports Complex, Ahuja Nagar. The cost of the pool is pegged at Rs 3.76 crore and it would fulfil aspirations of swimmers in the North Nagpur area. The only other swimming pool of NIT is near Ambazari and the same is quite a hit among swimmers.
The Board meeting was presided by Manoj Kumar Suryawanshi, Chairman, NIT, and Mohan Mate, MLA, and Sandip Itkelwar, both Trustees, were in attendance along with other officials. Incidentally Mate represents the South Nagpur Assembly segment in which the Sakkardara Lake exists. Another decision was about handing over 65 layouts developed under Gunthewari Scheme to Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). Henceforth the civic body would be responsible for maintenance and taking-up new work relating to civic amenities.
Also the open space in these layouts would be transferred to NMC. Similarly, development works worth Rs 50.08 crore were also finalised that includes construction of cement roads and other civic amenities works. About the complaints received about the functioning of the e-library at Mouza Manewada, it was decided that the Chairman, NIT, will conduct a thorough inquiry and then submit a report to the Board.
