Bhide Wada Savitribai Phule Memorial: ₹35 Crore Project With Holography Shows Targeted for March 2027
The ₹35 crore Savitribai Phule memorial at Bhide Wada in Budhwar Peth will have audio-visual and holography shows. Minister Bhujbal says it will be ready by March 2027.
Photo: DesiBoy101 / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Pune, 16th November 2026: The Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule memorial being built at Bhide Wada in Budhwar Peth, where the first school for girls was started in 1848, is expected to be ready by March 2027, state minister Chhagan Bhujbal said after inspecting the site on Saturday, November 14.
The project is estimated to cost ₹35 crore, and it will use audio-visual shows and holography to tell the story of Savitribai and Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, according to a report by Punekar News.
What the Bhide Wada memorial will have
The memorial stands on a plot of about 272 square metres, with a total built-up area of about 1,114 square metres. Planned features include:
- Theme-based audio-visual shows inside the domes, covering the lives of the Phule couple
- Holographic recreations of their work in education and social reform
- Documentaries and other visual presentations
- A skill development centre for girls and women
- A library, a guidance centre and a computer centre
- An amphitheatre
A technical expert committee has been set up to oversee the audio-visual and holography work.
How far the work has progressed
Concrete and steel structure work, brickwork, internal and external plastering, the false ceiling frame and the fire safety system are complete. Electrical work and the audio-visual and holography systems are in progress.
Bhujbal, who holds the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection portfolio, said work had started slowly but had picked up after complaints and after the Pune Municipal Commissioner took personal charge, Sakal reported. Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, City Engineer Aniruddha Pawaskar and other PMC officials were present during the inspection.
Why Bhide Wada matters to Pune
Bhide Wada, in the crowded market lanes of Budhwar Peth near Dagdusheth Ganpati, is where Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule opened a school for girls in 1848. The old structure had become dilapidated over the decades, and it was cleared to make way for a national memorial.
For many in Pune, especially students and teachers, the site is a place of pilgrimage on Savitribai Phule Jayanti on January 3. Once ready, the memorial could become a stop on heritage walks that also take in Shaniwar Wada and Lal Mahal. Read our Shaniwar Wada guide to plan a walk in the old city.
Phule Wada memorial gets separate funds
Bhujbal also said the state has provided ₹200 crore for a larger memorial at Mahatma Phule Wada in Ganj Peth, the couple’s home, Sakal reported. An earlier Sakal report had put the approved amount for Phule Wada at ₹230 crore, and the difference has not been explained.
What is still not known
PMC has not announced visiting hours, entry fees or an opening date beyond the March 2027 target. Traffic and parking arrangements for visitors in the narrow Budhwar Peth lanes are also not yet planned in public. We will update this story when PMC shares details.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Bhide Wada in Pune?
Bhide Wada is in Budhwar Peth in old Pune, near the Dagdusheth Ganpati temple area.
When will the Savitribai Phule memorial at Bhide Wada open?
Minister Chhagan Bhujbal has said the work should be completed by March 2027. An exact opening date has not been announced.
How much does the Bhide Wada memorial cost?
The project is estimated at about ₹35 crore.
Why is Bhide Wada famous?
Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule started a school for girls at Bhide Wada in 1848, one of the first in India.
