Mumbai: While the space crunch in Mantralaya is making it difficult to accommodate newly sworn-in ministers and the state departments, the acquisition of the Air India building is taking speed. While the state Public Works Department (PWD) has completed its inspection and structural audit, a few sections of the department have been asked to start working from the building.
Officials On The Deal
Official sources told FPJ that after the Union government approved the transfer of the building to the Maharashtra government in March last year, the state finance department (FD) headed by Ajit Pawar approved the Rs 1601 crore deal. Even as the approval by the FD came before the code of conduct for the state assembly elections came into force, the state could not make provision for the funds due to other priorities such as the Ladki Bahin and other populist schemes owing to the political pressure to win the elections, sources pointed out.
“Now that the Mahayuti government has returned, the building takeover will be a smooth process thanks to the keen interest taken by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis,” said the official.
Even though a few meetings were held to make provisions for funds to be given to the Air India Assets Holding Company, steps could not be initiated to make financial provisions through the supplementary demands, sources said. Meanwhile, the state PWD began its process of the site inspection and the structural audit during the election period. According to an official, a few wings of the state government have been asked to start working from the Air India building premises.
Though it is yet to be decided whether the minister’s chambers and offices attached to them would occupy the building or the state departments, the government is in dire need of additional space. While approving the proposal to take over the ownership of the building it was argued that the state was spending a huge amount to take private premises on rent. Besides a few departments, the state corporations and other bodies have taken premises on rent in South Mumbai with huge rent that runs into crores, said an official.
