Nearly 70% Complete, ₹25 Crore Spent: Will Mira-Bhayandar's Lata Mangeshkar Gurukul Become A Music School Or The Mayor's Residence?
Mumbai: As citizens, we have grown accustomed to changes in administration bringing with them changes in priorities. New governments arrive with different ideas about how public land should be used and which civic projects deserve attention. That is part of how cities evolve. But when a project is already nearly complete, the question is not simply what a new administration would prefer to build.…
Mumbai's Mira-Bhayandar neighborhood is witnessing a significant decision regarding a nearly completed Lata Mangeshkar Music Gurukul. The project, estimated to cost ₹25 crore and 70% complete, is set to be converted into the Mayor's residence, raising concerns about the original public purpose. The building, a two-story ground structure of around 25,000 sq ft, stands on a municipal playground plot, with its inauguration in September 2023 attended by Usha Mangeshkar and family members.
The municipal corporation has resolved to repurpose the structure, citing limited space at the existing Mayor's residence. However, the lack of an alternative site for the completed music academy is a pressing concern. The Gurukul was envisioned as a cultural space for children to learn classical and film music traditions, a need that Mumbai's growing suburbs often lack.
The original proposal was more than just a building; it was a commitment to nurturing music education and ensuring the continuation of Lata Mangeshkar's legacy. The conversion without a plan to relocate or recreate the academy leaves the original public need unanswered. Ankieta Kothari, founder of The Bombay Blueprint, emphasizes the importance of such institutions and questions whether the city can afford to abandon the promise of the Lata Mangeshkar Music Gurukul.
Written by urgent.news from Free Press Journal's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
