Phule Memorial Redevelopment: 85% of affected residents prefer new homes over monetary compensation.
Around 982 citizens will be impacted by the memorial redevelopment.
Minister Chhagan Bhujbal to inspect key heritage sites on July 4.
Pune, 24 July 2025: As the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) moves forward with plans to merge the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Wada and Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule memorials, most residents in the affected area have demanded homes in return for their properties. A civic survey shows that 85% of them prefer alternate housing instead of monetary compensation, TDR, or FSI.
The two memorials, separated by about 150 meters in Ganj Peth, are to be combined into one site under a state government directive. For this, PMC needs to acquire approximately 10,942 square meters of land. The area includes old houses and wadas, with 358 property owners, 624 tenants, and 25 slum structures, affecting a total of 982 people.
To determine compensation preferences, PMC offered residents options such as cash, Transferable Development Rights, Floor Space Index, or housing. A vast majority opted for new homes, a choice echoed by both landlords and tenants in the survey.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal is set to visit Bhide Wada in Budhwar Peth on July 4. This heritage site is known as the location of India’s first school for girls, founded by Savitribai Phule, and is currently being developed into a memorial by PMC.
Following the Bhide Wada inspection, Bhujbal will also visit the Phule Wada and Savitribai Phule memorial sites. He is expected to review the ongoing work and hold discussions with civic officials regarding the progress and further action needed.