Patna: A new political controversy has erupted over the construction of Bihar Bhawan in Mumbai, with regional parties in Maharashtra voicing strong opposition and the Bihar government pushing ahead with the project.
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shiv Sena (Uddhav) have both criticised the plan, warning that they will not allow the building to go up. MNS leader Yashwant Killedar argued that the Rs 314 crore allocated for the edifice would be better spent improving hospitals and medical infrastructure in Bihar, so that patients would not have to travel to other states for treatment.
Vinayak Raut of the Shiv Sena described the project as a “burden on local infrastructure” and accused the Bihar government of engaging in politically motivated land acquisition. “Today it is Bihar Bhawan, tomorrow it could be Gujarat Bhawan in the Bandra-Kurla Complex,” he said, highlighting Mumbai’s ongoing shortage of land and resources.
In response, the Janata Dal (United) dismissed the opposition as “mischievous and disruptive politics”. Party spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad said the project had been approved with the mutual consent of the Maharashtra and Bihar governments and would not be derailed by “empty threats”.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) echoed this sentiment, framing the criticism as narrow-minded local politics. State spokesperson Prabhakar Mishra said the project would benefit Bihari workers, students, and entrepreneurs in Mumbai, and described it as an initiative in the spirit of “One India, Great India”.
The proposed 30-storey Bihar Bhawan will be built on Mumbai Port Trust land at Elphinstone Estate in South Mumbai, with a budget of Rs 314.2 crore. It will include a 240-bed dormitory for cancer patients and their families, alongside administrative offices, cultural spaces, and facilities promoting business and investment in Bihar, according to Kaiser Khalid, president of the Bihar Foundation in Mumbai.
Kumar Ravi, secretary of the building construction department, said the facility will incorporate environmentally friendly features such as a sewage treatment plant, green spaces, and solar panels. The Bihar government noted that the Mumbai Bhawan would function similarly to its counterparts in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Gujarat, serving as both a cultural and administrative hub.
