The Shri Sai Sansthan had received this property from a Saibaba devotee as a donation. Apart from the temple in Shirdi, this is the only other property in the country owned by the trust.
After long negotiations with its tenants, the Shri Sai Sansthan Shirdi trust will raze its 70-year-old four-storey Mumbai office called Sai Niketan at Khodadad Circle, Dadar, and replace it with an 18-storey tower.
The Shri Sai Sansthan had received this property from a Saibaba devotee as a donation. Apart from the temple in Shirdi, this is the only other property in the country owned by the trust. The Mumbai office is used by the trust’s publishing wing, which brings out a magazine on the saint. The office staff also collects applications for medical aid from people who cannot travel to Shirdi.
The trust will spend Rs30-35 crore on the project, officials said.
“There are nine tenants using the property, and we have been negotiating with them for a long time over their rehabilitation,” said Jayant Sasane, chairman of Sai Sansthan. “We have almost reached the end of the talks and we will give them a place in the new structure. We will probably make an agreement with them in December, and then we will raze this building. We have a few sketches of the probable design for the building, and we will submit plans to the civic body for permission.”
The building will have six floors for parking. One floor will be used to re-house existing tenants and the other floors will be used by the trust to create accommodation for 300-400 devotees who will be able to stay here for a nominal charge. There will also be a meditation hall for dhyandharna, a community hall and space for the trust’s educational, medical and other activities. The trust will also create a state-of-the-art library for books on spirituality, Sasane said.
The Sansthan is one of the richest trusts in Maharashtra. Its revenue this year exceeded Rs315 crore, apart from average annual donations of 200 kg gold and 10,000-15,000 kg silver. The trust has invested heavily in property and government bonds valued at more than Rs450 crore. It also donates money to social causes and relief efforts. Sai devotees are known to donate crores of rupees every year to the trust.
On a regular day, over 1 lakh people visit the shrine, which is the second richest in India. On holidays and weekends, the number goes up to 5 lakh. During festivals, it exceeds 8 lakh. Though most devotees are from Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, a large number come from other parts of the country. The shrine has been attracting devotees from abroad as well.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}