The building, developed on a 5-acre plot under the Green Building concept, is nearing completion, but BMC has now sought an additional 0.25 acres to construct a hall at an estimated cost of ₹10 crore. Until the facility is ready, all council meetings will be held at the ISBT complex. Officials admit the hall was missing from the original plan, which originally cost ₹22 crore but escalated significantly during construction.
Structural engineer Suyash Kulshrestha said the omission reflects a lapse in basic planning parameters that are mandatory before tendering. “A civic body forgetting its own meeting hall is a direct burden on taxpayers,” he said. The project was designed and executed under three successive commissionersKVS Chaudhary Kolsani, Harendra Narayan, and now Sanskriti Jain.
The headquarters has also drawn criticism for solar panel structures placed over the front parking area, blocking the building’s façade. Corporation chairman Kishan Suryavanshi defended the design, attributing changes to earlier financial constraints, but admitted that the original plan did not include a meeting hall.
The headquarters is the latest in a series of engineering disputes. The Aishbagh railway overbridge, under construction since May 2022, drew national attention after photos showed a sharp 90-degree turn. An NHAI inquiry advised restricting vehicle speeds to 35–40 kmph due to accident risk. Although authorities agreed to redesign the curve, the corrective work has yet to begin.
The Metro’s Orange Line has also faced scrutiny for low platforms at Sargam Talkies and Kendriya School stations. Excavation is underway to increase road clearance, but engineers warn of future waterlogging and traffic disruptions.
As investigations and redesigns continue, residents are demanding stronger accountability and stricter oversight of public infrastructure spending.
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