Nagpur: Koradi area in Nagpur is set to become a major tourist attraction with the construction of a 151-foot-tall Lord Hanuman statue, poised to be the tallest in Maharashtra. The statue, part of the Mahalaxmi Jagdamba Koradi Mandir redevelopment project, will surpass the current record holder, the 108-foot-tall Ahimsa statue in Nashik, by 43 feet.

The Nagpur Metropolitan Region Development Authority (NMRDA) is overseeing the construction, with work progressing at a rapid pace. At present, over 20 feet of the statue—covering the foot area—has already been completed. Once finished, the statue will stand near pond number three, in accordance with the master plan of the Koradi Devasthan redevelopment project.

The construction, undertaken by Matu Ram Art Centre, a Gurugram-based firm known for building the 351-foot Lord Shiva statue in Udaipur and the Lord Buddha statue in Namchi, Sikkim, is on track to meet its January 2024 deadline. “At the current pace, the statue will be completed on time,” said an NMRDA official, who wished to remain anonymous. The project has an estimated cost of ₹11.50 crore, with more than ₹1 crore of work already completed, according to sources.

The redevelopment project, which has received state government approval, is part of a larger ₹214.94 crore initiative to enhance the Koradi temple premises. Alongside the Hanuman statue, the project includes several new features. These include the construction of a ‘mahadwar’ (main gate) featuring statues of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Maa Tulja Bhavani, at a cost of ₹8.5 crore. A VIP gate, known as the ‘Rajgad Mahadwar,’ with a height of 10 meters, will be built for ₹3.44 crore.

Other planned developments include a kid’s adventure park, with indoor and outdoor games, costing ₹31.18 crore, and a 2.5 km monorail covering seven spots, estimated at ₹17.46 crore. Additional attractions such as a water body with fountains and a bridge, an amusement park, and a ‘dinopark’ are also part of the expansive project.