Mantralaya, Mumbai

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Mantralaya is the administrative headquarters of the state government of Maharashtra in South Mumbai, built in 1955.

Mantralaya was earlier known as Sachivalaya. (Sachiv- Secretary, Alaya- House, meaning Secretariat). Most of the head quarters of state govts in India are known as Secretariats. However, since Ministers (Mantri in Marathi/Hindi) also sits in the same building and to underline the fact that Ministers are ultimate bosses in democracy, the name was changed to Mantralaya in early eighties.

Mantralaya is six storeyed building with most of the departments of state govt in this building. Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister sits on sixth floor. Chief Secretary, i.e. topmost bureaucrat sits on fifth floor. Due to increasing number of departments and the staff, new "annexe" building was built later on. Further, new administrative building of 13 floors was constructed later on opposite Mantralaya to accommodate additional departments.