Mantralaya revamp awaits panel nod

The state Public Works Department (PWD) said on Tuesday that it had not yet referred the proposal to the Cabinet committee for the makeover of Mantralaya.

The state Public Works Department (PWD) said on Tuesday that it had not yet referred the proposal to the Cabinet committee for the makeover of Mantralaya.

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“No decision [has been taken] on the bids yet,” said PWD Chhagan Bhujbal. “The department has not yet submitted the proposal to the Cabinet committee on infrastructure.”

The Rs 1,300-crore makeover includes redesigning Mantralaya’s basic structure to create an additional area of 1 lakh sq ft for offices, including new offices for the chief minister and his deputy.

Besides, bungalows across Mantralaya will make way for six towers for accommodation of ministers, bureaucrats and judges. Real estate and investment firm, Indiabulls, emerged the highest bidder for the makeover project.

The decision to award the contract to the highest bidder needs to be taken by the cabinet committee on infrastructure headed by Chief Minister Ashok Chavan. Meanwhile, Indiabulls said on Tuesday it had not received any communication from the government and it was expecting that a decision would take at least a fortnight.

The company also said it had not received any communication regarding Floor Space Index (FSI) of 4, they can exploit while constructing the sale building. The firm will get land in the area on which it can construct a building and exploit it commerically. “Since the state has not specified any FSI, we currently assume it is 1.33,” said a company spokesperson.

The company dismissed talk of the government’s rethink on the issue saying the entire process had been transparent.