New Delhi: With the new Narendra Modi government’s first parliament session starting on Monday, the massive task of vacating and allotting about 80 bungalows, all located in the 19 square kilometres that comprise ‘Lutyens’ Delhi’, is underway.
The residences of former ministers including Sushma Swaraj (8 Safdarjung Road), Suresh Prabhu (12 Akbar Road), Ram Kirpal Yadav (18 Mother Teresa Crescent), Anupriya Patel (5 Safdarjung Road), Rajen Gohain (20 Mother Teresa Crescent) and M.J. Akbar (9 Teen Murti Lane) will likely be allotted to new ministers in the NDA government, according to sources in the urban housing ministry.
The directorate of estate, which is part of the urban housing ministry, is currently in charge of the matter and is finalising the list of bungalows to be allotted to new entrants.
There are a total of over 300 bungalows in Lutyens’ Delhi, out of which ‘Type VII’ and ‘Type VIII’ residences are highly sought-after because of their their huge size and lawn area.
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Besides the directorate of estate, which is responsible for accommodating ministers, the housing committees of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha also allot houses to their respective members.
While 7 Akbar Road, a Type VIII bungalow, is already vacant, the residences of Mahesh Sharma (10 Akbar Road), Jyotiraditya Scindia (27 Safdurjung Road), Mallikarjun Kharge (9 Safdarjung Road), K H Muniappa( 7 Tyagraj Marg) and Subhash Ramrao Bhamre (9 Teen Murti Marg) will also be vacated in short order.
As per the list prepared by the urban housing ministry, Hansraj Gangaram Ahir (2 Safdarjung Lane), Chandrakant Khaire (2 Teen Murti Marg), Vijay Sampla (8 Teen Murti Lane), P.P. Chaudhary (19 Teen Murti Lane) Ashok Chavan (4, South Avenue lane) and Shiv Pratap Shukla (1 KG Marg) may have to move out for new entrants.
All the occupants will be given one month time to vacate their respective bungalows, sources added.
There are over 250 newly-elected MPs who have to be allotted houses. Most first-time MPs are currently staying at their respective state bhawan and guest houses.
Some of the new ministers – such as Ramesh Pokriyal Nishank and Suresh Angadi – will have to vacate their current accommodation (13 Teen Murti Lane and 3 South Avenue respectively) to be allotted bigger bungalows.
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The new parliament session started on Monday, June 17, for the Lok Sabha and will start from June 20 for the Rajya Sabha.
Meanwhile, the Central Public Works Department, which is the housing ministry’s construction wing, has completed 36 new duplex flats with modern amenities like modular kitchens, four bedrooms and an office area in the North Avenue for MPs.
These flats are ready to receive newly-elected MPs such as Gautam Gambhir, Hans Raj Hans, Nusrat Jahan and Mimi Chakraborty.
Arun Kumar Das is a senior journalist and can be contacted at akdas2005@gmail.com