Maharashtra govt to buy Air India building for Rs 1606 crore
Maharashtra govt to buy Air India building for Rs 1606 crore - Pune Pulse
The acquisition of the renowned Air India building situated at Nariman Point in South Mumbai for Rs 1,601 crore has been sanctioned by the Maharashtra government.
As per the information provided, the 23-storey structure is currently under the ownership of Air India Assets Holding Ltd, a corporation established by the Union ministry of civil aviation in 2018 to oversee all Air India properties.
According to sources, ministerial offices could be relocated to the building, while some may continue to operate from the Mantralaya, the state government’s administrative center.
In 2012, due to a fire at the state secretariat, four departments including public health, medical education, water supply and sanitation, and rural development were relocated to GT Hospital. These departments now have the opportunity to shift to Nariman Point.
The construction of the building took place in 1974 on land owned by the state government and was carried out by John Burgee of the New York-based architectural firm Johnson/Burgee. Unfortunately, the building became a target of the 1993 serial bomb blasts in Mumbai, resulting in the loss of 20 lives and the destruction of the offices of the Bank of Oman located above the basement garage where a car bomb exploded. Currently, nine floors of the building remain unoccupied, while GST offices occupy three floors and the income-tax department operates from eight floors.
The Air India building, comprising the ground and first floors, is currently occupied by state government offices. It has been reported that the state government has formally requested Air India Assets Holding Company to transfer the building without any encumbrances. Although the building was listed for sale in 2018 as part of Air India’s asset monetisation plans, it did not receive a significant response.
Unfortunately, the building became a target of the 1993 serial bomb blasts in Mumbai, resulting in the loss of 20 lives and the destruction of the offices of the Bank of Oman located above the basement garage where a car bomb exploded. Currently, nine floors of the building remain unoccupied, while GST offices occupy three floors and the income-tax department operates from eight floors.
Consequently, the state government, under the leadership of Eknath Shinde, increased their bid to Rs 1,600 crore.
