Plans are reportedly underway to redevelop Savarkar Sadan, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar's historic residence in Mumbai's Shivaji Park. Residents of the ageing building are engaged in talks with a private real estate developer. The iconic structure, built in 1938, was the home of the prominent Hindutva thinker and freedom fighter until his death in 1966.
Currently, a modest museum operated by the Swatantryaveer Savarkar Rashtriya Smarak Trust occupies a single room on the ground floor.
Despite a fresh coat of paint on the outside, the building's internal condition is said to have worsened over the years, prompting many of the current occupants to consider redevelopment.
As per reports, most flat owners have either begun or finalised redevelopment agreements, although no formal proposal has yet been submitted to the authorities.
A Trust official, Manjiri Marathe, confirmed that discussions with a developer were brought up during the Trust's annual general meeting in December 2024, following which the builder was invited to submit a proposal. However, no concrete plans have been received thus far.
The Trust, which retains only a small portion of the property, hopes to secure additional space on a mezzanine level if the redevelopment moves ahead. Importantly, they also aim to preserve the site's legacy by ensuring the name 'Savarkar Sadan' remains attached to any new structure that replaces it.
Savarkar Sadan is steeped in historical significance. Over the decades, it has been the venue for many notable meetings, including a visit from Subhas Chandra Bose in 1940. The building also hosted Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte in 1948, shortly before Mahatma Gandhi's assassination.
Although the property is largely privately owned, the descendants of Savarkar and the Trust control only a small section. Redeveloping a building in Mumbai typically requires the consent of at least 51% of its residents. With momentum seemingly growing among the co-owners, a formal redevelopment plan could emerge shortly.
Further reports indicate that adjacent plots, such as Laxmi Sadan and another facing the iconic Shivaji Park, might also be incorporated into a larger redevelopment scheme, potentially altering the landscape of one of Mumbai's most historically charged neighbourhoods.
