Congress Seeks Inquiry Into "Extravagant" Expenditure On Delhi CM's Residence

The Indian National Congress has written to Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena requesting an inquiry into the construction of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence. Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken alleges that the construction has caused "extravagant" expenditure, environmental damage, and a violation of heritage protection and zonal plans. Maken claims that the construction of Kejriwal's new residence cost Rs 171 crore, with 15 out of 22 officers' houses adjacent to the chief minister's residence being demolished. The Congress leader alleges that 28 full-grown trees have been destroyed in the construction process, which contradicts the provisions of Master Plan Delhi 2021 that emphasize the importance of preserving green cover in protected zones.

Maken also alleges that the construction violated the Master Plan Delhi 2021, as the new CM house was constructed in the Civil Lines Old Bungalow Zone, an area protected under MPD 2021. The previous residence was a single-story colonial-style building that has been replaced by a three-story structure with a basement, with a covered area of around 20,000 sq feet, almost double the previous covered area. He further alleges that the collusion of the PWD Minister bypassed the Secretary/Principal Secretary PWD by splitting work orders to keep them below Rs 10 crore, with the intent to avoid approval of the Secretary/Principal Secretary PWD for works amounting to more than Rs 10 crore.

Maken requested that the Lieutenant Governor conduct an inquiry into the matter and, if found guilty, grant sanction for prosecution of the principal beneficiary, the chief minister, and the principal perpetrator, the PWD minister of GNCTD. He also requested immediate intervention to ensure that public money is not misused, environmental damage is minimized, and heritage protection and zonal plans are strictly adhered to in future development projects. The expenditure of Rs 171 crore on the construction of the CM house has not been mentioned in the detailed demand for grants while getting the budget approved from the Legislative Assembly, according to Maken.