The state government has decided to shift the Marine Drive police station in order to build luxury apartments for senior bureaucrats and police officers. Two more offices—that of the state CID and an NGO—which occupy barracks on the same land will be given alternative space in Worli.
With over two dozen retired bureaucrats being posted on various government commissions and organisations, the Maharashtra government is facing a shortage of official quarters. Thus the decision to build Yashodhan-2, a seven-storey building with 24 apartments behind Yashodhan in Churchgate.
The six-decade-old Yashodhan, opposite the Cricket Club of India, is one of the most sought-after government residences by IAS and IPS officers on account of its proximity to Mantralaya and its attached servant quarters. Yashodhan-2 will be built on the space freed up after the barracks behind Yashodhan are demolished.
The work on Yashodhan-2 by the public works department (PWD) had begun last year but came to a standstill, as the Mumbai police were reluctant to shift. A few days ago, officials from the PWD, general administration department—which handles matters related to government staff—and home department held a meeting. Chandrakant Naik, executive engineer of the PWD’s Mumbai presidency division, said, “Once the CID office and Marine Drive police station move, our work will begin in full swing.’’
Dilip Hinge, deputy engineer at PWD, said that the police station was being shifted to a new premise near the BMC sewerage treatment plant at Marine Drive. “We have done the piling work of Yashodhan 2 and will start work after the existing police station moves,” he said.
Yashodhan-2’s apartments have a market value of ₹41 crore. Each flat will be 1926 sq feet, with three bedrooms and attached servants’ quarters, just like Yashodhan. A senior IAS officer said the flats would be allocated to officers above the rank of principal secretary in the IAS and above the rank of inspector-general of police in the IPS.
“Many senior IAS officers are given some kind of post-retirement posting, and go on occupying government quarters,” said a retired bureaucrat. “We have come across cases where Mumbai and Mumbai suburban collectors, who get overriding priority in allocation of quarters, are kept waiting as all flats are occupied by retired officers. Most of these retired officers have apartments in the suburbs but insist on staying near Mantralaya. Hence, there is a need for more apartments.”
