Marble statue of Mahatma Gandhi inside the Corporation Hall. Hanging from the ceiling are microphones marked with numbers for respective speakers, one of the many additions made to suit changing technology. The original stained-glass panels from the bay window have been replaced with metal plaques commemorating Mumbai's history and prominent landmarks.
Frederick Stevens raised the height of BMC to 235 feet. At the rear of the tower, he made provision for a lift shaft, making it the first building in Mumbai to use a hydraulic lift. The water which was used in running the lift was stored between the outer and inner domes of the tower. The tanks had a capacity of 40,000 litres.
Frederick Stevens’ design of large windows allowed plenty of natural light and breeze to pass through, keeping the buildings ventilated and illuminated. This was a practical necessity because at the time of its construction, buildings didn't have electricity. The BMC building was, in fact, the first building in Mumbai to be fully electrified before inauguration.
Externally placed pipes drain rainwater from the roofs during the monsoon season. The pierced wooden jalis allow for the play of light and shade in the corridors of the building. They were made by Telugu-speaking craftsmen at the JJ School of Art and were meant to provide shade during summer months and protect the corridors from rain and sunlight.
The Corporation Hall has a collection of busts and statues of prominent personalities from Indian history, freedom fighters and eminent citizens of Mumbai who contributed greatly in the development of the city. Seen here are the busts of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
Large framed portraits of prominent Mumbai citizens hang from the upper level of the Corporation Hall. This is Keshav Sitaram Thackeray (1885–1973), father of Balasaheb Thackeray, founder of the political party Shiv Sena. K.S. Thackeray was an author and social activist. He was also one of the key leaders of the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti that campaigned for the creation of Maharashtra state based on linguistics and for inclusion of Mumbai as the capital of Maharashtra.
The Corporation Hall is richly detailed with moulded wooden panels covered in gold leaf. Busts of figures representing the various communities of Mumbai hold heraldic shields with the initials CB marked on them (CB stands for Corporation of Bombay). The ceiling is made of unpolished teakwood.
At the rear of the BMC building, at the end of the garden, Frederick Stevens installed a pyav (fountain) which was a source of drinking water for horses. This fountain has figures of birds on them, hence known as the Pigeon Fountain.
Post-independence, images of British administrators were removed, and new icons were added. Among the new installations was this portrait of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj placed in the lobby of the grand staircase. Not only is Shivaji Maharaj a national hero, during his lifetime, he was much praised for taking an interest in the welfare of his people, in line with the core objective of the BMC—to uplift the quality of life of Mumbai's citizenry.
Commemorative plaque dedicated to Frederick W. Stevens as the designer and superintendent of the Municipal Buildings. Below Stevens is his assistant and resident engineer, Rao Sahib Sitaram Khanderao, who would later design (with DN Mirza) the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Also mentioned is Grattan Geary, who was President of the Corporation and friend of Stevens. Stevens had designed Geary's private villa at Lonavala.