New Delhi: Designer furnishings and fittings worth Rs 48 lakh, artistic and decorative work worth Rs 5 crore, marble work worth Rs 2.4 crore, sauna bath and jacuzzi worth Rs 20 lakh, and fancy modular kitchen worth over a crore – these are the items in Delhi During the renovation done in 2020 in the official residence and camp office of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi Vigilance Department has found.
Despite being hit by the Covid pandemic in 2020, the Delhi government has reportedly decided to renovate CM Kejriwal’s official residence and camp office at 6, Flag Staff Road, according to a Vigilance Department report to Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena. 52.71 crores spent. ThePrint has a copy of the report.
According to the May 12 report signed by YVVJ Rajasekhar, special secretary, vigilance, the total cost of renovation of the chief minister’s residence was Rs 33.49 crore, while that for the camp office was Rs 19.22 crore. The report said that while executing the project, several rules and regulations were violated and approvals were not sought.
The LG took note of media reports on the renovation of the CM’s official residence and directed Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to submit a report on the alleged irregularities in 15 days at the end of April.
According to the report, irregularities were committed in the felling and transplanting of trees by the Public Works Department (PWD) of the Delhi government.
Further, it notes that approval for building plans of “such construction/addition/alteration activities” was not taken despite the Public Works Department having a Building Committee to function as a local body. It added that the two revised drawings with regard to interior design were done by “Bobby Mukherjee & Associates”, whose appointment was “not formally done as per the records made available by the PWD”.
As per the report, major changes were made in the interior drawings submitted by the consultants based on the requirements of “Hon’ble CM Madam”, which may result in deviation in the total work done, amount and the sanctioned amount of work. ,
ThePrint repeatedly reached out to Special Secretary Rajasekhar over phone and WhatsApp messages for comment, but did not receive a response till the time of publishing this report. The report will be updated once the response is received.
An Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson told ThePrint on Thursday that it was unfortunate that after failing in all its attempts to tarnish the image of the chief minister over the past nine years, the Bharatiya Janata Party (in power at the Centre) is now defacing the chief minister’s residence. Taking aim.
“There is nothing in the report to suggest that any crime was committed. This is the first time that an official Chief Minister’s residence complex has been created in Delhi consisting of the Chief Minister’s residence, office secretariat, auditorium, staff quarters etc. The BJP should focus its energies on probing the Adani scam. Vendor Hindenburg Research report alleging corporate misconduct, stock price manipulation and fraud by the Adani Group.
He said, “The Chief Minister’s popularity is spreading rapidly across the country and Modiji is scared of it… That’s why Modiji has unleashed all agencies against Kejriwalji.” The spokesperson said, Modiji has not been able to find irregularities of even a single penny so far.
The Delhi unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party hit back, however, with spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor telling ThePrint on Thursday, “This report corroborates earlier statements made by the party on irregularities. It is shameful that Delhi Chief Minister’s bungalow is a case of illegal construction. This is a case of reconstruction in the guise of renewal work order.”
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Irregularity in tree cutting, transfer
According to the report of the Vigilance Department, permission was taken for felling or transplanting trees on five occasions. It was highlighted that on each occasion this was done for less than ten trees, as for any number more than this, permission of a higher authority would be required.
To make up for the trees cut at the site, 280 trees were to be planted in the DRDO campus. The report said that out of 280 trees supposed to be planted in the campus, “only 83” were found to be planted. “There were 60 pits with no sign of plants, [which] may have died There is no sign of the remaining 137 trees being planted at this site.
On further changes inside the house, the report said, “The modular kitchen, laundry and pantry were not initially taken up in the scope of work, but as per the meeting held between Hon’ble CM Madam, Hon’ble PWD Minister and the Adviser, It was decided to provide it in residence”.
The report said that the estimated cost of these items was Rs 1.64 crore.
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)
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