Ganesh trust members worried structure may face demolition; PMC heritage panel says it can't be pulled down as it's Grade III structure
Ganesh trust members worried structure may face demolition; PMC heritage panel says it can't be pulled down as it's Grade III structure
Theu00a0future of a piece of city's history is at stake. Vinchurkar Wada, the place where Lokmanyau00a0 Bal Gangadhar Tilak started the Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav some 117 years ago has been sold to a private builder. This despite the 250-year-old structure being part of the heritage list drawn up by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
Those associated with Tilak and his Ganesh Mandal fear it will make way for the demolition of the structure.u00a0
Paranjape Scheme Construction Ltd. officially assumed the ownership of Vinchurkar Wada from its earlier owner Krushnakumar Dani on April 29. 
Guardian of history: Ravindra Pathare, treasurer of Lokmanya Tilak
Pratham Prasthpit Ganpati Trust, stands before the Vinchurkar Wada.
Pathare wants the wada to be protected and has asked for it to be
declared a national monument. Pic/Vivek Sabnis
Razing not allowed
Sharve Dhongde, member of PMC heritage committee and head of its survey team, said: "We have added Vinchurkar Wada in the heritage list under Grade III. As per the rule, some additions or changes can be made to the structure, but nobody can demolish it. We included the Wada in the heritage list because of public demand and the wishes of the descendants of Sardar Vinchurkar. Though Vinchurkar Wada is yet to be included in the (updated) official list of PMC heritage building, nobody can demolish the building as it is culturally, religiously and historically valuable." Also, according to the Maharashtra Ancient Monuments and Archaelogical Sites and Remains Act, 1960, the structure cannot be razed.
'Keep wada intact'
Members of Lokmanya Tilak Pratham Prasthpit Ganpati Trust demanded that the original structure in the Vinchurkar Wada should not be touched by the builder. "We have already asked the PMC and Home Minister R R Patil to declare the place a national monument. Tilak popularised Ganeshotsav from here. Some of his fieriest editorials as the editor of Daily Kesri, a Marathi newspaper, was conceived while he lodged in one of the rooms in the Wada, before he shifted to Kesri Wada," said Ravindra Pathare, treasurer of the trust. Many Ganpati mandals in the city have great faith in Vinchurkar Wada and therefore want its identity to be kept intact.
The Other Side
Shrikant Paranjpe, chairman and director of Paranjpe Scheme Construction Ltd, confirmed he had purchased the Vinchurkar Wada property from Dani. "I had a detailed discussion with Dr Deepak Tilak, the great grand son of Lokmanya Tilak, and we will ensure that Tilak is always remembered here. We shall sort it out first and than take the decision about constructing on the site. We are first clearing many issues related to the Vinchurkar Wada and the procedure may take two years," he said.
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