Nashik’s Dadasaheb Phalke Memorial Park to reopen post-monsoon after major revamp

Nashik: The Dadasaheb Phalke Memorial Park, once one of Nashik's most prominent leisure spaces, will reopen to the public after the monsoon following an extensive redevelopment under the build, operate and transfer (BOT) model, civic officials said.Closed since Feb for renovation and the creation of a ‘Waste to Wonder' facility, the 29-acre park is nearing completion, with final works expected within the next one to two months."The park will be reopened for citizens after the monsoon," said Nashik civic chief Manisha Khatri.The revamp seeks to restore a landmark that had slipped into neglect over the years. Developed in 2000-01, the park -- dedicated to the Father of Indian Cinema, Dadasaheb Phalke -- once drew large crowds to attractions such as the Buddha Smarak, musical fountain, mini theatre, exhibition halls, food plaza, open-air theatre and children's play area. Poor maintenance, however, had led to declining footfall and deteriorating infrastructure.Under the BOT arrangement, a private agency is financing and executing the redevelopment and will operate the park for 10 to 15 years, with a possible five-year extension. The operator will pay the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) a monthly royalty of 1 lakh.Officials said nearly 13 acres are being actively reworked, blending restoration of existing structures with new, contemporary attractions. The reimagined space is being developed as a modern art residency park, designed to reconnect the city with a cultural and recreational hub it had slowly lost.At the heart of the redesign is the ‘Waste to Wonder' concept, which will transform scrap materials — discarded vehicles, machinery, furniture, plastic and construction debris — into artistic installations within the park, creating a project that is as much about sustainability as public engagement.For the civic body, the reopening is not merely about restoring a park, but about reclaiming a public space that once defined the city's cultural and leisure identity, now being reshaped to meet the expectations of a new generation.