MAHARASHTRA Government on Wednesday decided to acquire the iconic Air India building at Nariman Point in Mumbai for Rs 1,601 crore. The decision was taken at a meeting of the State Cabinet in Mumbai. The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, also decided to waive off around Rs 250 crore unrealised income and interest on the property, an official said. The building was constructed in 1974 on land owned by State Government, which it will now use for its office space.

 

After the 2012 fire at Mantralaya, the State Secretariat building in south Mumbai, four major departments -- public health, medical education, water supply and sanitation, and rural development -- have been operating from GT Hospital. These departments, along with others, may be shifted to the Air India building, an official said. The 23-storey building is owned by Air India Assets Holding Limited, a company created by the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation in 2018 to manage all Air India-owned properties. Nine floors of the building are vacant at present. Three floors house GST offices while the Income-Tax Department has eight floors. The ground and first floors are currently with Air India, and the Government has communicated to Air India Assets Holding Company that it should hand over the building free of encumbrances.

 

One of Mumbai’s iconic buildings, the sea-facing Air India tower came up on State Government-owned land in 1974. It was built by John Burgee of New York-based architectural firm Johnson/Burgee. Burgee was known for his contribution to post-modern architecture.

THE Maharashtra Government on Wednesday approved a proposal to set up an information centre of the State and a multi-purpose complex in Mauritius. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting here, said a release from Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s office. The Cabinet also gave the nod for setting up the Maharashtra bovine breeding regulatory authority. A police dog training centre will be set up in Baramati and five orange processing centres will be set up in Vidarbha region, the Cabinet decided. A high-powered committee will be set up for monitoring implementation of the schemes for Dhangar community, the release said.