The jinxed bungalow of the Delhi Government, 33 Shamnath Marg, has proved to be the waterloo for politicians and bureaucrats. It has lived up to its reputation of being inauspicious.
Its current occupant, 1979 batch IAS officer and Principal Secretary (Power and Finance) Shakti Sinha, has sought voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) from the Government job as he felt slighted working under his batchmate, DM Spolia, who is Chief Secretary of Delhi.
Sinha had earlier worked as PS to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee during the NDA regime. Four politicians — Deep Chand Bandhu, Chaudhury Brahm Prakash, Madan lal Khurana, Choudhury Mange Ram — who stayed at this bungalow couldn’t complete their tenures, while Sinha has sought VRS.
The bungalow, which once served as the address of the city’s high and mighty, including Chief Ministers, remained unoccupied for almost 10 years after Bandhu’s death. Officials of the Delhi Government said politicians and bureaucrats refused to stay there claiming its Vaastu was faulty.
Sources close to Sinha said that he was upset as the Government of India did not considered him for empanelment of Secretary. When asked, Sinha confirmed that he has sought VRS and has asked the State Government to relieve him within two months.
Sinha had asked for this bungalow in 2012, almost 10 years after it was vacated by Bandhu’s family.
The jinx’s myth proved true as his name was not considered for the post of Chief Secretary of Delhi and his colleague DM Spolia was appointed for the same.
Sinha had shifted to this bungalow in April 2013.
There is a history behind the bungalow that has been keeping the ministers away from this famous address in the Civil lines area.
The bungalow, with four bedrooms, a huge drawing-cum-dining room, seven quarters for domestic helps, two garages, one storeroom and a spacious guard room could have been a dream house, but for its jinx.