Mumbai's Siddhivinayak Temple gets nod to buy 20 adjoining units for ₹94 crore

Mumbai's Siddhivinayak Temple has received approval to purchase 20 residential and commercial units in the adjacent Ram Mansion Cooperative Housing Society in Prabhadevi for ₹94.12 crore. The Maharashtra government authorized the acquisition to improve crowd management and expand facilities for visitors at the temple, one of Mumbai's most frequented religious sites. The Ram Mansion is a three-storey residential building situated on a 708 square-metre private plot next to the temple. The residential units will be purchased at ₹66,000 per square foot based on existing carpet area, including an additional 40% carpet area. Commercial premises will be acquired at ₹1.11 lakh per square foot. The state law and judiciary department issued a resolution authorizing the purchase on Thursday. The acquisition forms part of a broader ₹100-crore expansion plan for the two-hundred-year-old temple. The trust is also discussing the potential purchase of land from the Siddhivinayak Cooperative Housing Society, located near the temple. Combined, the two plots measure approximately 1,800 square metres. The purchase cost includes stamp duty, registration charges, and other incidental expenses, all to be covered by the trust’s funds. The government confirmed that the acquisition would not burden the state treasury. The property is expected to help manage crowds more effectively and create space for facilities like a canteen, kitchen, storage area, pilgrim accommodation, and limited parking. Built in 1801, the temple is renowned for its unique Ganpati idol and attracts numerous devotees from across India and abroad. The trust’s managing committee initially approved the residential unit rates in principle on March 31, 2025, and later endorsed the commercial premises rate on July 7, 2025, pending government approval. The decision followed an audit of the trust’s finances over the past five years, prompted by allegations of misappropriation of donations.