Vidhan Bhavan Expansion Casts Shadow on Rs 48-Crore Zero Mile Redevelopment Plan
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Nagpur: The ambitious Rs48 crore plan to redevelop Nagpur's historic Zero Mile — once touted as a landmark heritage-tourism hub — has hit a roadblock, with the proposed expansion of the Vidhan Bhavan complex threatening to consume key land earmarked for the project.
Four months after the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) submitted a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to the Heritage Conservation Committee, no physical progress was made. At the centre of the deadlock is a 2,000 sqm NMC-owned land parcel between Zero Mile and Vidhan Bhavan, which was intended for parking and tourism infrastructure. The state govt has now asked NMC to surrender the land for the legislative complex's expansion.
"A couple of meetings have taken place, and NMC was asked to hand over the plot," confirmed a senior NMC official privy to the development.
This shift in land-use priorities has cast serious doubt over the fate of redevelopment project, which earlier received in-principle clearance from the Heritage Committee chaired by Anup Kumar. Architect Paramjeet Singh Ahuja's blueprint included two museums, aesthetic landscaping, upgraded lighting, a food court, amphitheatre, heritage office, and pedestrian-friendly zones.
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One of the two museums, planned underground, was designed to showcase the legacy of the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India — a nod to the colonial-era monument's historical significance. The second was to highlight Nagpur's cultural evolution.
To fund the project, NMC approached Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) for Rs50 crore under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. "The proposal was sent," said NMC chief engineer Manoj Talewar.
Officials say no response was received so far.
Earlier, Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Chaudhari directed a detailed land survey to strengthen the revised DPR. District collector Vipin Itankar also approved the transfer of land held by the Public Works Department (PWD) to the NMC. But the project is still awaiting final approval from the state.
The Heritage Committee has also opposed MahaMetro's plan to close the connecting road between Zero Mile and Central Museum Road, warning of potential traffic congestion.
Civic officials said unless a firm policy decision is taken — with coordination between NMC, the state govt, and Vidhan Mandal Secretariat —Zero Mile redevelopment risks remaining stuck on paper.
Despite High Court directives in the past calling for preservation and proper upkeep of Zero Mile monument, the site continues to suffer from neglect, poor infrastructure, and administrative apathy.
For now, the geographical centre of colonial India — once envisioned as a modern heritage destination — finds itself mired in bureaucratic uncertainty and caught between preservation and politics.
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