Mumbai: Mystery buyer purchases iconic Alhambra bungalow for Rs 150 crore

Alhambra bungalow

Alhambra, an iconic bungalow located on Charmichael Road, once owned by the Sultans of Darbhanga, and later used as guest house by top executives of Hindustan Unilever Limited, has a new owner. The bungalow is spread over 1,500 sq ft, and according to sources, has been sold for somewhere between Rs 150 and Rs 170 crore.

Alhambra bungalow. PIC/ SURESH KK

The advocates of the new owners have issued a public notice investigating the title of the property, asking that anybody who has a claim to the property should inform them within 14 days. Post that, the new owner will go ahead with the transaction. The deal is said to be brokered by an international brokerage firm.

The two-storied structure was constructed in the 1950s. Since then, it has housed former chief executives of HUL, Manvinder Banga, Nitin Paranjpe and Doug Baille.

Alhambra consists of a residential building of ground plus two floors, measuring, 1747 square meters (nearly 18,000 sq ft) and stands on a parcel of government leasehold land, measuring 1387.96 square meters (nearly 15,000 sq ft).

According to Gopal Maheshwari, a leading real estate broker from South Mumbai, the plot's ideal cost should be anywhere starting Rs 145 crore. Carmichael Road is a heritage precinct of South Mumbai and houses the RBI Governor Bungalow, the Port Trust chairman's bungalow and even the Municipal Commissioner's residence.

An email sent to HUL response received the following response: We have no comments to offer.

The buyer for the property could not be ascertained.