Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) ambitious project to build a Multi-level Robotic Parking Tower (MRPT) near Mumbadevi Temple to ease parking issues in the area, has landed into a controversy. The Mumbadevi Temple Trust has raised strong objections against constructing a 15-storeyed parking tower behind the temple in Kalbadevi citing that the safety and security of the devotees is primary to the temple management. “We are not against beautification and enhanced facilities for people, but a high-rise will not only hide the temple but also be a safety hazard for devotees in case of a disaster,” a source from the Mumbadevi Temple Trust said.

The historic Mumbadevi Temple in Kalbadevi was built more than 200 years ago and has around 10,000 devotees daily. On holidays, the number climbs to around 25,000 and up to a lakh on festivals like Diwali.

The BMC has undertaken a Rs 122.61 crore project to construct a 15-floored MRPT on a 3223 sq mt open plot near Mumbadevi Temple, Kalbadevi. The tower will accommodate 546 vehicles. Construction commenced in April 2024; however, the work was stopped after objection raised by  the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and local BJP MLA Rahul Narwekar in July 2024. A source from the temple trust said Narwekar held a meeting with the temple trust, noting their objections, before raising his objection.

The trust also wrote to BMC in May 2025 complaining that the heritage Mumbadevi temple felt tremors because of the ground drilling work carried out for the project and requested to immediately stop the work. “The temple management was taken into consideration earlier for beautification work. However, our suggestion/objections were not asked before starting the construction of the parking tower" a temple official said.

Notably, the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission had reprimanded the BMC Commissioner for initiating the construction of a parking facility next to the Mumbadevi temple, a site originally allotted for the temple’s development. 

“We strongly oppose building a parking tower next to Mumbadevi Temple which will benefit no one but the businessmen of Kalbadevi. We demand that the prime plot should be used to provide community facilities for Mumbadevi Temple devotees,” the trust said.

In August 2025, the Mumbadevi Temple Trust wrote to the BMC Commissioner urging to include the trustees in the proposed Mumbadevi Precinct Development Committee. The trust also submitted its project report of amenities it requires for the safety and welfare of the devotees.

Commenting on the Mumbadevi Parking Tower project, BMC’s Roads and Traffic department said that they have submitted a file to the Legislative Assembly Speaker’s office requesting to permit the corporation to resume the construction work. “The parking tower is proposed to ease parking issues in the area. The robotic parking facility is the latest technology the BMC wants to bring to Mumbaikars,” the officer said.

Owing to space constraints and the dire necessity for parking space in Mumbai, the BMC has planned to build four MRPTs across the city at a total cost of Rs 504.19 crore. The parking towers are planned at Matunga, Mumbadevi, Worli and Hutatma Chowk. The parking tower at Matunga is also in controversy after strong objections from locals citing the project as a safety hazard.