Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Ajay Maken on Sunday claimed the alleged that the amount spent on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence was Rs 171 crore and not Rs 45 crore reported earlier as his government had to buy additional flats for officers whose houses had to be either demolished or vacated for the expansion of the CM’s residential complex.
Accusing Kejriwal of faking a simple lifestyle and instead spending crores on his residence, Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken said in contrast to this, the epitome of simplicity in Delhi was his party leader and former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
“The amount spent by the whole cabinet of Sheila Dikshit on their homes in 15 years of its rule is no match to the amount spent by Arvind Kejriwal on the renovation of his palace,” Maken alleged.
He alleged the amount spent on Kejriwal’s residence was not Rs 45 crore but Rs 171 crore and that too during the time of the Covid pandemic when people were running around for hospital beds and for the lack of oxygen.
“I will explain how Rs 171 crore was spent. There are four residence complexes next to Kejriwal’s official residence — 6, Flagstaff Road, Civil Lines. Together these four residence complexes have 22 officers’ flats. Out of those 22, 15 were either gotten vacated or demolished and for the rest seven, it was instructed that they will not be re-allotted,” Maken said. To compensate for these flats, the Kejriwal government has bought 21 Type-5 flats worth Rs 126 crore in the Commonwealth Games Village, he alleged. “So the price of these 21 flats also has to be included in the total cost spent on Kejriwal’s residence as it was necessitated due to the expansion of his residence,” the Congress leader said. This money comes from the state exchequer and this should be added to expenditure made for the Chief Minister’s bungalow,” Maken said.
The Congress leader said he will write to the Lieutenant-Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena highlighting how Master Plan for Delhi has been disrespected. “Higher FAR (floor area ratio) shall not be permissible in redevelopment in Lutyens Bungalow area, Civil Lines area and monument regulated zone,” Maken said.
“I remember when I used to go there, this is a single-storey building. This area if older than Lutyen’s area. And today, they are making three floors across 20,000 square feet. I want to ask the people of Delhi whether this is not a violation of Delhi’s heritage,” the Congress leader said adding that 28 full-grown trees have been felled for the renovation.
Maken also contended that this was an issue of breach of privilege as the government got the budget passed but made no mention of the renovation of Kejriwal’s residence.
He alleged that the renovation also disregarded heritage, greenery as well as the master plan of Delhi.
Kejriwal has been occupying the official residence at 6 Flagstaff Road in the Civil Lines area after becoming chief minister in 2015. The residence also has the chief minister’s camp office spread over a 5000 square metre area, officials said. There is an ongoing political slugfest over the alleged Rs 45 crore expenditure on Kejriwal’s official residence.