Mumbai News: BMC’s ₹455 Crore Worli Lab Land Lease Faces Opposition Heat, Leaders Demand Halt Amid Probe

Mumbai, April 8: The move by the BMC to lease its Worli material testing laboratory has come under sharp criticism, with Opposition leaders demanding an immediate halt to the auction process until a thorough probe into alleged irregularities is completed.

They have called upon Mayor Ritu Tawde and Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide to urgently intervene and ensure transparency.

Opposition raises concerns over auction

The Worli plot, spanning 5,166 sq m, is set to be leased for 30 years, extendable by another 30, with the BMC expecting around Rs 455 crore from its commercial auction. The move triggered immediate political backlash.

A day after the tender was floated, Mumbai Congress President and MP Varsha Gaikwad and Samajwadi Party's MLA Rais Shaikh objected, questioning the decision and demanding greater scrutiny. Shaikh called on the BMC to frame a clear auction policy in consultation with all party group leaders to prevent ad hoc decisions.

Allegations of irregularities and probe

Earlier, Shaikh had flagged irregularities in the redevelopment tender for the Worli municipal testing lab during the state budget session in March. Following this, Minister of State for Urban Development Madhuri Misal ordered a high-level inquiry. Shaikh warned that proceeding with the auction amid the probe would amount to defying the state government.

Gaikwad alleged, "The terms of this deal appear tailored to benefit only selected builders. While the builder stands to earn massive profits by developing the plot into a five-star hotel, the BMC is set to incur losses - a situation that is clearly unfair and unacceptable." Tawde was not available for comment.

Previous auctions and project history

In June 2025, the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai auctioned two high-value plots near Crawford Market and the Worli Asphalt Plant, raising Rs 1,152 crore.

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The Worli plot was originally planned for redevelopment of the laboratory, construction of a new lab, a multi-storey robotic parking tower, and commercial units, despite being in a residential zone. However, the tender was cancelled three times following allegations of undue cost escalation and irregularities.

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