MUMBAI, Nov. 18 -- The opening of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray's memorial at the erstwhile mayor's bungalow on Veer Savarkar Marg will be delayed by about six months and is likely to be inaugurated only by mid-2026. Subhash Desai, senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and secretary of the Balasaheb Thackeray National Memorial Public Trust, on Monday confirmed that the work was delayed and the opening would have to be rescheduled. The trust was earlier planning to open the structure to the public around January 23, 2026, the beginning of Thackeray's birth centenary. "The civil work and landscaping is over," said Desai. "The team that will put together an audiovisual presentation of Balasaheb's life will start its work on January 23, 2026. We will use audio visual shows, some murals, significant pictures and also showcase some of his important possessions. It will take six months but the museum will be inaugurated before his 100th anniversary. We are planning to celebrate the centenary year in a big way." The state allocated Rs.400 crore for the project, with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) as the implementing agency. The memorial is being built in two phases, and following the latest developments, both phases could open together. Abha Narain Lambah, the project's designer and management consultant, who is working alongside Tata Projects, said phase 2 was currently in the works. "Our design is ready," she said. "The second phase is about the content, technology, and the narrative elements that will make up the immersive experience. MMRDA is appointing a contractor for that." The memorial is being built as a unique underground design so as not to crowd the view of the bungalow. A 'double-wall flask' design has been employed to prevent water leakage, and an underground water tank system or 'kund' has been constructed to manage rainwater. The entrance leads to a 60,000-sqft interpretation centre constructed a few metres below. This will house archival material on Thackeray, his artistic works and books on him, and a meeting room. There is also an administrative building and a security cabin. A project that has seen constant delays after its initial conception post Thackeray's death in 2012, the work order for Phase 1 was given in March 2021. The memorial is being overseen by the Balasaheb Thackeray National Memorial Public Trust....