Nagpur — The long-stalled theme park project at Ambazari has officially been scrapped, with the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) deciding to reclaim the 44-acre plot it had leased to the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) nearly six years ago.
Approved in 2017, the ambitious project was envisioned as a major tourism and recreation hub in the heart of Nagpur, to be developed under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model. NMC had handed over the land — originally under its care — to MTDC for a 30-year lease at a nominal fee of ₹1 per year. MTDC then subleased the property to a private developer for execution.
The proposed theme park was to feature a Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Theme Park, a Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Theme Park and Museum, amphitheatre, food plaza, sports zone, aquarium, yoga and meditation area, miniature city, lake-view restaurant, musical fountain, and handicraft market. The project was expected to be completed by 2021, but it never moved beyond the planning stage.
Controversy soon surrounded the project after reports emerged that the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Cultural Building — a well-known public landmark — had been damaged during early groundwork. Local groups, under the banner of Ambedkar Smarak Bachao Kruti Samiti, protested the alleged violation of public trust.
A petition was subsequently filed in the High Court against the Maharashtra government, MTDC, and several other parties, bringing all development activity to a halt. Since then, both MTDC and the private firm made no progress on the site.
Citing public interest, NMC has now prepared a formal proposal to reclaim the land, which will be sent to the District Collector for approval. Officials clarified that the Ambazari property is classified as Nazul land, meaning it legally belongs to the state government but has been managed by NMC for public purposes.
Once a vibrant recreational zone featuring the Ambazari Garden, lake, dam, and Dr. Ambedkar Cultural Hall, the area has deteriorated since its transfer to MTDC. With the project officially scrapped, NMC plans to restore and redevelop the 44-acre area as a public leisure and cultural space for Nagpur residents.
If the District Collector gives the nod, the land will be returned free of cost to the NMC — marking the revival of Ambazari as one of the city’s premier public green spaces.
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