The Development Plan Apex Committee meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday, approved the construction of a new road and a bridge over the Bhima river between the sacrifice site (Balidan Sthal) of Swarajya Rakshak Dharmaveer Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in Tulapur (Taluka Haveli, Pune district) and his memorial site (Samadhi Sthal) in Mouje Vadhu Budruk (Taluka Shirur).
Fadnavis also directed that the suggestions of the villagers should be taken into consideration while implementing the development plan for Tulapur, the sacrifice site, and Vadhu Budruk, the memorial site, of Swarajya Rakshak Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, who is the deity of the entire Maharashtra.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, and MLA Dnyaneshwar Katke were present at the meeting. Fadnavis said that a large number of citizens visit Tulapur and Vadhu Budruk to pay respects at the sacrifice and memorial sites of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
Therefore, the Tulapur - Vadhu Bu road should be connected by a bridge over the Bhima River. Currently, the road is 14 kilometres long, and it takes citizens 30 to 40 minutes to travel from Tulapur to Vadhu Budruk. By constructing the bridge over the Bhima River, the road will be reduced to six and a half kilometres.
This will reduce the distance between the two sites and save citizens' time. According to the Chief Minister, the bridge over the Bhima River should include a 'Viewing Gallery'. The design of the bridge, the construction of the riverbank (Ghat), and the quality of the work should be such that they evoke the history of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj's era.
The Chief Minister also instructed that the lighting and beautification on the riverbank and the bridge should be of high quality, and guides should be trained at the site. They should be well-informed about the entire historical context. Development works should be carried out in such a way that everyone who visits is reminded of the glorious history of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that the width of the bridge over the Bhima River should be adequate for traffic. The bridge and the viewing gallery should be constructed in a way that everyone who visits wants to see it. The process of land acquisition for the proposed Tulapur to Vadhu Budruk road should start.
He added that the development should be such that every citizen who has faith in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj will desire to visit again to learn about his history. According to the government release, work is underway for a museum, a 10D show auditorium with 82-seat capacity, an administrative building, a library, souvenir shops, an entrance gate, a 350-meter-long riverbank (Ghat), parking, restrooms, and a cafeteria. There is also a plan to erect a 100-foot-tall Hindavi Swarajya flag at both Tulapur and Vadhu Budruk.