Bihar govt pushes for Bihar Bhavan in Mumbai amid opposition from MNS, Shiv Sena

The Bihar government’s ambitious plan to construct a Bihar Bhavan in Mumbai has triggered a political controversy.

Aimed at providing special facilities for cancer patients from Bihar and their families seeking advanced treatment in Mumbai, the state government has approved an allocation of Rs 314.20 crore for the construction of the proposed 30-storey building. For this purpose, one acre of land has already been acquired on a 90-year lease from the Mumbai Port Trust.

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Even before the construction began, the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shiv Sena (UBT) have strongly opposed the project. The MNS has argued that instead of building a Bihar Bhavan in Mumbai, the Bihar government should prioritise the development of better healthcare infrastructure within Bihar.

Both the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shiv Sena (UBT) have openly opposed the decision and announced that they will not allow the Bihar Bhavan to be constructed in Mumbai.

Responding to the opposition, Bihar minister Ashok Choudhary warned both the parties to refrain from hooliganism and maintain calm, asserting that the Bihar Bhavan would be built at any cost. Challenging the two parties, traditionally opposed to people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, Choudhary said no one has the power to stop the construction of the Bihar Bhavan.

Launching a personal attack on MNS chief Raj Thackeray, Choudhary accused him of making frivolous statements and questioned whether Mumbai was anyone’s personal fiefdom or a city run under a monarchy.

The proposed building will be equipped with state-of-the-art, world-class facilities. It will house offices of the Resident Commissioner, Investment Commissioner, Tourism Department, Art and Culture Department, and the Bihar Foundation.

It will also include a 240-bed dormitory for cancer patients from Bihar undergoing treatment in Mumbai. The building will have a total of 178 rooms, parking space for 233 vehicles, a high-end conference hall with a seating capacity of 72, and a cafeteria.