The PWD had initially estimated that the development would incur a value of Rs 15-20 crore.
New Delhi:
Renovation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s official residence incurred a complete value of Rs 52.71 crore, in line with a “factual report” submitted by the Delhi authorities’s Vigilance Directorate to the lieutenant governor, official sources stated on Thursday.
The price of Rs 52.71 crore included Rs 33.49 crore spent on the development of the home and Rs 19.22 crore on a camp workplace for the chief minister, the report stated, citing information of the Public Works Division (PWD).
It’s “unlucky” that the Bharatiya Janata Celebration (BJP), after failing in all its makes an attempt to malign Kejriwal’s picture over the past 9 years, is now focusing on the chief minister’s residence, the Aam aadmi Celebration (AAP) stated in a press release.
“There may be nothing within the report back to say that any crime was dedicated. That is the primary time that an official residence advanced for the chief minister was created in Delhi, comprising the chief minister’s residence, an workplace secretariat, an auditorium and workers quarters,” it added.
The report stated the then PWD minister had, in March 2020, proposed further lodging preparations — a drawing room, two assembly rooms and a eating room with a capability of 24 individuals — and the addition of an higher storey by remodelling the present construction.
The PWD, nevertheless, proposed the demolition of the present construction on the bottom that it was an previous one, inbuilt 1942-43, the report stated.
“It’s submitted that the bungalow at 6, Flag Workers Highway was constructed in 1942-43 and is a load-bearing building. In view of the truth that it’s a very previous building and has load-bearing partitions, it isn’t advisable for remodelling the present floor flooring or for creating a further flooring,” the report stated, citing a PWD observe.
The PWD had advisable that further building could also be carried out throughout the premises and the present bungalow be separated by barricading. As soon as the development is accomplished, the chief minister and his household could shift to the brand new bungalow and the present bungalow could be demolished, the report stated.
“It was, nevertheless, on the advice of PWD engineers {that a} new bungalow was constructed on the identical premises because the current construction, inbuilt 1942-43, had outlived its life in 1997 itself. The PWD had argued that the previous building had ‘load-bearing partitions’ and was not advisable for remodelling of the present floor flooring or for creating a further flooring,” it added.
The PWD, nevertheless, couldn’t present the file on demolition of constructions adjoining 6, Flagstaff Highway, the official residence of the chief minister.
Amid allegations of irregularities in renovating the chief minister’s official residence levelled by the BJP and highlighted by the media, LG V Okay Saxena directed Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar in April for securing all of the related recordsdata and submitting a factual report.
The report, signed by Particular Secretary (Vigilance) YVVJ Rajasekhar, was submitted to the LG on Might 12, a day after the Supreme Courtroom gave govt management over companies issues in Delhi to the AAP authorities.
In keeping with the report, the PWD had initially estimated that the development would incur a value of Rs 15-20 crore. The primary tender of Rs 8.61 crore was awarded in October 20, 2020 and it didn’t point out the development of a brand new constructing.
A number of new proposals for additions and alterations had been subsequently made, which elevated the scope of the work when it comes to each the built-up space and the plinth space.
The extra value was necessitated due to superior specs in all of the elements, together with a modular kitchen, a pantry, a wardrobe and a laundry, the report stated.
It additionally identified that the development work was undertaken throughout the COVID-19 pandemic towards a 2020 order of the finance division that mandated expenditure of an emergency nature solely.
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is printed from a syndicated feed.)