The government of Bihar is planning to construct a 30-storey Bihar Bhavan near Wadi Bunder in Mumbai, creating a dedicated cultural and community centre for the city’s large Bihari population. The project, estimated to cost Rs 314 crore, is expected to function as a multi-purpose hub for cultural, administrative and community-related activities.
The proposed building will come up off P D’Mello Road and is being seen as a significant step toward meeting a long-standing demand from residents of Bihar origin living in Mumbai for a state-backed cultural and support centre.
According to representatives of the Bihar Foundation Mumbai chapter, tenders for the project have already been issued. The first phase of construction is estimated to cost between Rs 300 crore and Rs 400 crore, with the current tender pegged at Rs 314 crore. The preliminary design for the building has also received approval.
The proposed complex will house several facilities, including an investment commission representing Bihar, offices of the state’s tourism department, an art and cultural centre, guest accommodation and lodging facilities for relatives of patients from Bihar who travel to Mumbai for medical treatment. Officials from the foundation said the land, which previously belonged to the Mumbai Port Trust, was allotted to the Bihar government in 2023.
However, the choice of location has drawn criticism from some members of the community. While the Bihar Foundation stated that the site was chosen due to its proximity to government offices in south Mumbai, some representatives believe an alternative location in Navi Mumbai would have been more suitable.
U K Singh, secretary of the Bihar Association, said the state government had overlooked an earlier proposal from the Maharashtra government to provide land in Navi Mumbai at a nominal cost for constructing state bhavans.
“Other states like Kerala, Assam and Meghalaya built large buildings in Navi Mumbai. The BPT land was bought for Rs 155 crore — a relatively high price for a locality which has associations with the city’s underworld. There are no other government offices in the area. Tata Memorial Hospital is increasingly using its Kharghar centre for treating patients. The Bihar government could have bought cheaper land in Navi Mumbai,” Singh said.
Manoj Singh Rajput of the Bihar Foundation defended the location, stating that it offers convenient access to major railway stations and hospitals. He added that when the Maharashtra government had earlier offered land in Navi Mumbai, Lalu Prasad Yadav was in power in Bihar. “But the offer was not taken up,” Rajput said.
Source: The Free Press Journal
