The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)’s plan to overhaul and beautify the historic Shri Siddhivinayak Temple complex in Prabhadevi is facing backlash from local activists, who argue that the Rs 500 crore project is an unnecessary expense for taxpayers.
Critics claim that the revamp, set to be finished in five phases, will mainly benefit the temple trust rather than the local community.
Journalist and author Sucheta Dalal voiced her disapproval on X, questioning why the BMC is funding the temple’s beautification. She suggested that the temple trust, which is among the richest in the country, should fund its own improvements and focus on enhancing the surrounding area’s cleanliness and traffic flow instead.
“This is brazen fraud. The Temple has enough money for its own beautification, rejuvenation and should be spending to ensure the area around it is clean, hawker free, with smooth traffic movement. They have already swallowed a public road!” Dalal wrote.
The project’s first phase is slated to begin on September 7, when Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will lay the foundation stone.
“The entire project is estimated to cost Rs 500 crore. A consultant has been appointed to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR), outlining the expenditure for each phase,” a senior BMC official told The Free Press Journal.
Activists are questioning the project’s true purpose. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activist Yashwant Killedar accused the temple trust of attempting to extend its control over nearby areas. “The trust has been eyeing nearby plots, including Sambhaji Park, which was nearly converted into an underground parking lot for temple visitors and VIP vehicles. This would have deprived local children of open spaces,” he said.
Killedar also noted the loss of public areas such as Sane Guruji Udyan, a popular spot for students and seniors, due to ongoing construction. “This development is not in favour of Prabhadevi residents. Taxpayers’ money is being spent on something that will only benefit the temple trust, not the local community. Corruption seems to be at play here,” he said.
Vishakha Raut, a Siddhivinayak Temple trustee and former Dadar corporator, also raised concerns about the project’s transparency and necessity. “As trustees, we have not been given any details about the project. The beautification was never requested by the trust and is not needed. The focus should be on managing the internal temple space, particularly the crowded sanctum sanctorum, not just the external beautification. Unfortunately, our chairman has kept us in the dark, likely to avoid our objections,” Raut said.
An executive officer from the Siddhivinayak Temple Trust said that the BMC is solely responsible for the project. “We were not involved in the planning or survey. The BMC conducted the survey and created the report, but we have not been given any details,” the official said.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had earlier announced that the temple would be transformed similarly to the Mahakal Temple, with a five-year completion timeline. This transformation includes a two-way entry system, expanded roads, and upgraded footpaths to accommodate the increasing number of visitors.
Key upgrades include a new two-way entry system to improve crowd management, expanded roadways around the temple, and modernised footpaths. The project will add new entrances on both sides of the temple for easier access, provide sitting arrangements in the nearby garden area, and enhance water facilities. Separate stalls for prasad distribution will be introduced, with existing stalls relocated to optimise space. Modern toilets will be installed for devotees, and a mini-bus service will be launched to cut travel time from Dadar to the temple to just 5 minutes.
