Mumbai: Maharashtra government is likely to buy the iconic Air India building at Nariman Point. Besides the state government, Reserve Bank of India was also in the fray to buy the building, stated reports.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis met Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia last year and urged to give preference to Maharashtra in its attempt to sell the iconic building, stated a Times of India report.
The TOI report quoted a senior minister confirming a likely deal and saying that AI Assets Holding Ltd which owns the building has in principle agreed to give the building to the state government.
Minister says their deal conditional
The minister was also quoted saying that finer details will be worked out and that their offer is conditional. He said that they will go ahead with the deal if they get vacant possession and that theydon't want to hire a new agency for the same.
It is to be noted that offices of GST and the Income Tax department operate out of the building and that there are some floors with state-owned company and oe of the floor houses art collection and other items.
Govt to save huge sum of money with deal
The minister was quoted as saying that the government will save on a huge sum of rent paid as several state offices are situated in private spaces across south Mumbai.
On Tuesday, Deputy CM and Home Minister Fadnavis said that state government would take the building only if it was handed over vacant, the TOI report stated.
The first offer to buy the building was reportedly made when Fadnavis was the CM. The talks only resumed in 2021 under MVA government but no deal was finalised.
A senior official was also quoted as saying that the ministertial offices could be shifted to Air India building and all offices in private building could be accommodated in Mantralaya.
The state official said that the government is to recover dues from Air India when AI officials flagged that the building was valued over Rs 2,000 crore.
