BMC to take charge of Byculla's Bhau Daji Lad Museum

The BMC will take control of Bhau Daji Lad Museum in Byculla, once its tripartite agreement with M/s INTACH and M/s Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation ends in 2018. The agreement was signed in January 2003 for a period of 15 years.

The proposed BMC budget for 2017-18 presented by civic Chief Ajoy Mehta on Wednesday as a provision of Rs 5 crore for corpus fund and Rs 2 crore for maintenance of the city's oldest museum.

The Bhau Daji Lad Museum was at the centre of controversy in 2016 after the BMC issued a show cause notice alleging that there were irregularities taking place under the museum's management headed by its Director Tasneem Mehta. The corporators had also demanded that she be ousted, on the basis of allegations that the BMC-owned museum had turned into an institution for the elite with little or no access for common citizens.

The corporation had alleged that certification of artefacts was not carried out, there was no submission of accounts, no audit and no creation of any inventory. However, the museum had replied stating that the artefacts have been verified and that the BMC had never asked them to conduct an internal audit, among other things. The civic body had sought legal advice too on the issue to regain greater control of the museum.

Once in a derelict condition, the Museum underwent a five-year restoration and won UNESCO's 2005 Award of Excellence.