Even as the decision over the maintenance of Bhau Daji Lad museum under a public-private partnership is pending, the civic administration has given the additional charge of the museum to chief archives officer Jyotish Desai who was also the former chief curator of the museum. According to the civic body, the tripartite agreement with INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) and Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation ends this month and in the last meeting, members of INTACH and Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation had asked for an extension.

Senior civic officials said that a letter has been issued last month stating that Desai will handle the additional charge of the museum. He was the chief curator of the museum until 2004 after which he was transferred to the heritage department for four years. He was replaced by the INTACH who took over the restoration of the museum. Since then, apart from overseeing the restoration of the museum, Tasneem Mehta, managing trustee of INTACH, took up the initiative of starting special educational activities and courses at the museum.