Nagpur: The ambitious theme park project once planned at Ambazari has officially been scrapped. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has decided to reclaim the 44-acre plot it had earlier leased to the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) after the project failed to take off despite being approved nearly six years ago.
In 2017, the land originally managed and maintained by NMC was handed over to MTDC on a 30-year lease for a nominal fee of ₹1 per year. The goal was to develop a large tourism and recreation hub in the heart of Nagpur under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model. MTDC, in turn, sub-leased the land to a private company for development.
The project blueprint included an impressive list of attractions: a Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Theme Park, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Theme Park and Museum, amphitheater, food plaza, sports theme park, aquarium, yoga and meditation zone, miniature city, lake-view restaurant, musical fountain, and handicraft market. The development was expected to be completed by 2021.
Gold Rate
04Oct 2025
However, the plan remained confined to paperwork. Soon after, controversy erupted when the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Cultural Building—a public landmark—was reportedly damaged during preliminary work. Local groups under the “Ambedkar Smarak Bachao Kruti Samiti” staged strong protests, alleging that the construction violated public trust.
Following these events, a petition was filed in the High Court against the Maharashtra government, MTDC, and eight other parties. The legal dispute effectively froze the project. Both MTDC and the private company failed to make any progress in the years that followed.
Now, NMC has moved to take the land back “in the interest of the public.” The civic body has drafted a formal proposal, which will soon be sent to the District Collector for approval.
Officials confirmed that the Ambazari land is classified as Nazul land, meaning it technically belongs to the government but was under NMC’s management for public use. The corporation had long maintained the garden, lake, dam, and Dr. Ambedkar Cultural Hall—facilities frequently used by residents and visitors alike.
After the transfer to MTDC, maintenance waned, and the site fell into neglect. With the failure of the theme park project now clear, NMC intends to reclaim full control of the 44-acre property and redevelop it as a public recreational zone for Nagpur citizens.
If the proposal is approved, the land will be returned free of cost from the state government to NMC—restoring Ambazari’s role as a green and cultural space for the people of Nagpur.
