India

Maharashtra Govt Grants Siddhivinayak Temple Trust ₹94.12‑Crore Deal for 20 Units

By Faisal Malik

The Shree Siddhivinayak Ganpati Mandir Trust has received government approval to purchase 20 residential and commercial units in the Ram Mansion Cooperative Housing Society in Prabhadevi for ₹94.12 crore. The acquisition is part of a ₹100‑crore expansion plan aimed at improving facilities and managing crowds at the busy Mumbai temple.

The state law and judiciary department issued a resolution on Thursday authorising the trust to buy the residential units at ₹66,000 per square foot, calculated on existing carpet area, with an additional 40% carpet area included to make the offer attractive. Commercial premises will be acquired at ₹1.11 lakh per square foot.

Ram Mansion is a three‑storey residential building on a 708‑square‑metre plot adjacent to the temple. The purchase price of ₹94,11,65,550 covers stamp duty, registration charges and other incidental expenses, all to be paid from the trust’s funds. The government has clarified that the acquisition will not burden the state exchequer.

The order states that the property, located next to the temple’s existing waiting hall, will provide space for queue management and new facilities such as a canteen, kitchen, storage area, pilgrim accommodation and limited parking.

Built in 1801, the Siddhivinayak Temple is one of Mumbai’s most prominent temples, known for its unique Ganpati idol with a right‑turned trunk. The temple faces space constraints due to large numbers of devotees, especially during festivals, leading to significant recurring costs for temporary structures and crowd‑management.

A senior law and judiciary official said the acquisition aims to address logistical challenges by expanding visitor facilities. The trust’s managing committee had given in‑principle approval for the residential purchase rate on March 31 2025 and approved the commercial rate on July 7 2025, pending government clearance.

The decision follows a state government audit of the trust’s accounts for the last five years, ordered after allegations of theft of donations at the temple, one of the wealthiest in the country.