Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday vacated her bungalow at 35 Lodhi Estate and handed over the possession to Central Public Works Department (CPWD), two days before the deadline of her eviction notice specified in the July 1 eviction order. Priyanka currently enjoys Z plus security.
Officials said that the keys to the bungalow were accepted after a full inspection establishing that the house was handed over in good condition by JE of CPWD P Senthil Kumar in the presence of Vikas Rana, CE (NDZ-I), Yogesh Kumar Kardam, AE, Manoj Kumar Chauhan, AE, CPWD Services and B.S. Rana, JE (PAWD-I, CPWD). They issued her a ‘Vacation Report’ for the premises on behalf of the CPWD.
Priyanka also passed on to the CPWD and the Directorate of Estates a full inventory of privately installed fittings, fixtures etc.
As per a statement released by AICC, she has paid all electricity, water and previous dues and is awaiting the final assessment for the license fee of the month of July from the Directorate of Estates due to her on the 31st July to close all accounts with reference to the allotment and subsequent cancellation of the lease of the government bungalow.
Priyanka is likely to relocate to a penthouse in Gurugram’s Aralia residential complex, where she has already spent a night while scouting for houses. The penthouse apartment is located in Sector 43 on Golf Course Road and is owned by her husband – businessman Robert Vadra.
As per the AICC statement, she will be residing in a temporary accommodation until a more permanent accommodation in Delhi rented by her is ready for use.
The Government order had said that Priyanka is no longer protected by the Special Protection Group (SPG) and hence not eligible anymore. The directorate of estate department of the ministry of housing and urban affairs had issued a notice to her on July 1 to vacate her house within a month. Priyanka was allotted the 35, Lodhi Estate bungalow in New Delhi in 1997.
Earlier reports had claimed that she will shift her base to Lucknow once the Covid-19 threat subsides in wake of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in 2020. Meanwhile, reports had stated that a house has already been finalised for Priyanka in Lucknow where she will relocate once the lockdowns end. The Lucknow house where Priyanka will shift belongs to a lady named Sheila Kaul, and is located on Gokhale Marg. The mansion is vacant at present and renovation work is also done.
Kaul, who passed away in 2015, was the sister-in-law of India’s first prime minister and Priyanka’s great grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru. She was also a Union minister and a Governor.
