First time since 1878, excise department set to get its own headquarters | Mumbai News
The excise department – one of the oldest departments of the state – is set to get its headquarters first time after its inception in 1878. The department plans to inaugurate the building by May. Till now, the department has been operating from the Old Custom House near Asiatic library in Mumbai.
Excise Commissioner Kantilal Umap told The Indian Express, “May-end is the outer limit to inaugurate the building. Work on the interiors is going on. We will soon move into the new building, which is seven-storied and has been constructed to gel with the heritage precincts of BMC building and other heritage structures. ”
As per initial estimates, the building was to cost Rs 52 crore but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, work was delayed and now the cost has increased to Rs 63 crore.
The plot where the building has come up earlier housed the bungalow of the excise commissioner and also the Boribunder excise station. People recognized as opium addicts were also given their monthly stock from this office, said officials.
As was the case of the old Boribunder excise station, which had a British era lock-up for bootleggers that was never used, the new building will also have a similar lock-up, officials added.
Approximately 325 officers and workers, offices of two superintendents of Mumbai city and suburbs, their four flying squads, one central squad of the excise commissioner and excise director will be housed in the new building. The office of the excise commissioner will be located on the seventh floor, said officials.
While the department did not have space for parking of vehicles in the Old Custom House, the new building will have two basements and parking space for 62 cars on the ground floor. When the department moves to the new premises, the second floor and a part of the ground floor in the Old Custom House will be vacated. “Once we vacate, it depends on the government whom it wants to allot the space, ” said an official.
Umap said the Old Custom House was one of the oldest government offices in Mumbai. “It first housed the office of custom house of India. Later, the collectorate of Bombay was housed there. The Excise Act came into force in 1878 and then the excise department started operating from the Old Custom House, ” he added.
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