The Panvel Municipal Corporation’s mayoral residence in Kharghar Sector 21 is nearing completion after facing delays of more than three-and-a-half years, with civic officials stating that the remaining work is largely limited to interior finishing and painting activities. The project, which was initially sanctioned at Rs 17 crore, has witnessed a sharp rise in expenditure and is now expected to cost more than Rs 25 crore upon completion.
Civic authorities have extended the project deadline until June 30, 2026, as work on the official residence enters its final stage. According to officials, construction progress has accelerated in recent months following prolonged delays.
“Work on the mayor’s bungalow is in the final stage. At present, painting and furniture work are pending,” said Sanjay Katekar, City Engineer of the Panvel civic body.
The mayoral bungalow project was approved in December 2021, while around Rs 2 crore had already been spent earlier on purchasing the land parcel from CIDCO. Since then, additional expenditure linked to landscaping, furnishing and associated infrastructure work has significantly increased the overall project cost beyond the original estimate.
Officials stated that the final expenditure has already crossed Rs 22 crore and is likely to exceed Rs 25 crore once all remaining work is completed.
The residence could not be finished during the tenure of Panvel’s first mayor, Dr Kavita Choutmol, despite construction beginning during her term. Civic officials now expect the project to become operational during the tenure of the current mayor, Nitin Patil.
The delay has also drawn attention because the official residence of the municipal commissioner was completed several years ago and is already functional, while key civic projects including the mayoral bungalow and municipal headquarters continue to remain under development.
Source: The Free Press Journal
