NEW DELHI: Former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit does not appear to have practiced what she preached. Puncturing her erstwhile government's campaign to 'save power' and use it frugally, Dikshit's official residence, 3 Motilal Nehru Marg, was fitted with no less than 31 air-conditioners, 15 desert coolers, 16 air-purifiers, 25 heaters and 12 geysers during her stay there as CM.
Dikshit, who currently holds charge as Kerala governor, lived in a seven-room, type VIII, bungalow spread over 3.25 acres. Besides two sprawling lawns, a courtyard and seven rooms, the bungalow has office space, staff quarters, garages and cabins for security personnel.
In response to a RTI query by activist S C Agrawal, CPWD said that an expense of Rs 16.81 lakh was incurred on the electrical renovation of the bungalow to customize it according to the needs of the then chief minister.
In contrast, former PM Manmohan Singh, who has moved into the bungalow post-retirement, requested his office not to exceed the Rs 2.5 lakh expenditure limit for furniture, ACs, refrigerator and other items during renovation. According to reports, Singh requested for less than half-a-dozen ACs for his use.
Giving an exhaustive list of appliances and fixtures removed from Dikshit's residence after she moved to Kerala Raj Bhavan, CPWD said the equipment was being partially utilized in various government offices as per requirement. "The remaining air conditioners and fixtures shall be utilized as and when requirement arises," he said.
Three-term chief minister Dikshit vacated the bungalow after suffering defeat in the December 2013 assembly election and moved to a 2,000-sq-foot, three-bedroom flat in a private apartment complex on Ferozeshah Road in central Delhi.
While moving into the Motilal Nehru Marg bungalow, Manmohan Singh opted for minimal renovation work with emphasis only on security features that had to be added to the house considering the former PM's security requirements. CPWD has added a new sentry post at the main entrance and the height of the periphery walls have been increased as per specifications provided by Special Protection Group.
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| Dikshit, who currently holds charge as Kerala governor, lived in a seven-room, type VIII, bungalow spread over 3.25 acres. |
Dikshit, who currently holds charge as Kerala governor, lived in a seven-room, type VIII, bungalow spread over 3.25 acres. Besides two sprawling lawns, a courtyard and seven rooms, the bungalow has office space, staff quarters, garages and cabins for security personnel.
In response to a RTI query by activist S C Agrawal, CPWD said that an expense of Rs 16.81 lakh was incurred on the electrical renovation of the bungalow to customize it according to the needs of the then chief minister.
Giving an exhaustive list of appliances and fixtures removed from Dikshit's residence after she moved to Kerala Raj Bhavan, CPWD said the equipment was being partially utilized in various government offices as per requirement. "The remaining air conditioners and fixtures shall be utilized as and when requirement arises," he said.
Three-term chief minister Dikshit vacated the bungalow after suffering defeat in the December 2013 assembly election and moved to a 2,000-sq-foot, three-bedroom flat in a private apartment complex on Ferozeshah Road in central Delhi.
While moving into the Motilal Nehru Marg bungalow, Manmohan Singh opted for minimal renovation work with emphasis only on security features that had to be added to the house considering the former PM's security requirements. CPWD has added a new sentry post at the main entrance and the height of the periphery walls have been increased as per specifications provided by Special Protection Group.