Panvel | September 10, 2026 — The Panvel Municipal Corporation has approved an additional Rs 371 crore for the construction of its proposed Swarajya headquarters, even as the building remains incomplete four years after work began. The allocation includes Rs 120 crore for construction and Rs 251 crore for decoration and related works.
The approval was granted at a special general body meeting held on Wednesday. Members questioned when the civic administration would finally begin operating from the building, pointing out that several crores had already been spent on the project since work started in 2022.
The headquarters was originally scheduled to be completed within 30 months. According to the report presented before the civic body, the project has been delayed because of technical difficulties, changes in the works and slow progress. The municipal administration was also told that the consultant overseeing the construction had not informed it in time about changes and delays in the project.
These changes have increased both construction and decoration costs. Tejaswini Pandit of Hiten Sethi Associates presented a review of the additional construction and decoration expenditure before the meeting. The presentation covered the revised requirements and the cost implications of changes made during execution.
Municipal Commissioner Mangesh Chitale said the original construction contract had been awarded for Rs 112 crore. Following an increase in the scope of work, the construction cost rose to Rs 131 crore. Some works and materials included in the original contract have since been changed, while alterations have also been made to parts of the building’s design.
The civic body will have to issue fresh tenders for these changes, according to the information presented at the meeting. Around Rs 30 crore worth of work from the original Rs 112 crore contract is still incomplete and will also have to be included in the new tender. The corporation has not specified in the reported decision when the headquarters will be completed or when municipal operations will shift to the building.
