The iconic Ganesh Tekdi Temple in Nagpur, a spiritual anchor for thousands of devotees every day, is now set for long-awaited redevelopment. The breakthrough comes after the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) stepped in to resolve a decades-old tussle over land leased from the Defence Department — an issue that had long stalled expansion and modernization plans.
Spread across 0.67 acres under a permanent lease since 1964, the temple also occupies two additional plots measuring nearly 19,000 sq ft, allotted by the Defence Department in 1996. However, those parcels were given only on a 30-year lease, due to expire in February 2026. Defence rules barred renewal of the lease to private trusts, effectively locking the temple trust out of any major development work on the site.
Nagpur Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Chaudhari has stepped in to resolve the long-pending lease issue surrounding Ganesh Tekdi Temple. He initiated discussions with Defence authorities, suggesting that the disputed land be leased to the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) instead of the temple trust.
The Defence Department has agreed in principle to lease the 0.45-acre parcel to NMC for 100 years at the market rate of ₹66,870 per sq m, bringing the total cost to ₹12.4 crore. The amount will be borne by the temple’s Advisory Society. Once the deal is formalised, NMC will hold the lease while the trust continues to manage temple operations.
“This arrangement ensures land security and enables us to take up long-term renovation and expansion,” said Ajay Pajare, Executive Engineer (Estate Department), NMC. He noted that the approval process is nearing completion and could be finalised within two months.
With land security in place, NMC plans to move forward with structural upgrades and improved amenities for devotees, fulfilling long-standing demands for better facilities at the hilltop shrine.
In March 2024, the Maharashtra Government upgraded the temple’s status from Grade C to Grade A tourism site, recognising it as a national monument and making it eligible for Central funds. The new lease agreement further boosts its prospects of evolving into a key cultural and tourism hub for Vidarbha.
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