Pune: A proposal to lift the garden reservation on land adjoining the historical Mahadji Shinde Chhatri in Wanawadi, Pune, was discussed at a recent meeting. The Scindia Devasthan Trust had approached the state government to convert the reserved land into a residential area.

The Pune Municipal Commissioner has suggested that 70% of the land remain under the control of the Municipal Corporation, while the remaining 30% can be developed by the Trust. A final decision on the matter is awaited.

The Shinde Chhatri memorial honors Mahadji Shinde, a notable Sardar of the Peshwa era, who built a Mahadev temple at the site. Following his death, a Chhatri was erected as a memorial in front of the temple. The Pune Municipal Corporation has granted heritage status to the memorial.

The land adjacent to the memorial spans 13,514 square meters, of which 9,736 square meters are reserved for a garden under the PMC’s development plans of 1966, 1987, and 2017. However, houses were built on this land between 1964 and 1968, but no formal society was formed for these structures.

The Scindia Devasthan Trust, through its representative Yashwant Bhosale, requested the Urban Development Department to remove the garden reservation on survey number 75 in Wanawadi and reclassify the area for residential use.

The state government, in response, advised the PMC to review the proposal and submit it under Section 37 of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act for further consideration. The proposal, which aims to balance heritage preservation with development needs, remains under discussion, and a final decision will be made at the state government level.