Jalgaon: 75-Year-Old Congress Bhavan To Be Rebuilt; AICC Clears Pilot Project In Maharashtra

Jalgaon: The historic 75-year-old Congress Bhavan in the city is set to be rebuilt after receiving approval from the All India Congress Committee. District Congress President Pradiprao Pawar announced that the project has been cleared as a pilot initiative for Maharashtra.

The Congress Bhavan, located in the heart of Jalgaon, has now fallen into a dilapidated condition. Parts of the structure have weakened over time, with one side already collapsed and the building facing serious damage due to water leakage during monsoons.

The Congress party has a deep-rooted history in the Jalgaon district. The first rural national session of the party was held in Faizpur in 1936, which was attended by leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. Following this, the party expanded significantly in the region. The Congress Bhavan later became a key centre where several leaders met and discussed the district’s development.

Built on a 10,000-square-foot plot, the foundation stone of the building was laid on February 13, 1949, by Kakasaheb Gadgil. The completed structure was inaugurated on October 22, 1952, by Purushottam Das Tandon. Over the years, it hosted political meetings, cultural programmes, and classical music events, and was once a must-visit location for Congress leaders coming to Jalgaon.

With the structure now unsafe, Pradip Pawar had repeatedly requested both the Maharashtra Congress leadership and the AICC for permission to redevelop the site. Taking note of the condition, the party has now granted approval for constructing a new building.

The proposed Congress Bhavan will be a modern four-storey structure. It will include a commercial complex to generate revenue for the party, along with office spaces for office-bearers, a meeting hall, and parking facilities. Pawar said party workers hope that the groundbreaking ceremony will be conducted by the national president of the Congress.

Apart from Jalgaon city, the Congress also owns properties in Raver, Amalner, and Chalisgaon. Efforts are currently underway to identify and document other party-owned assets across the district.