PWD drops ₹60L revamp tender of Delhi CM’s new house

The previous tender, dated June 28, stated that the bids would open on July 4 – thus, the cancellation order came three days after the bid opening

The Delhi government has cancelled the ₹60 lakh tender for renovation and upgradation of chief minister Rekha Gupta’s official residence on Raj Niwas Marg, citing “administrative reasons”, according to an order issued by the Public Works Department (PWD) and accessed by HT.

HT had earlier reported that CM Gupta’s new official residence on Raj Niwas Marg will undergo renovation. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

The tender had proposed extensive upgrades to Bungalow No. 1 on Raj Niwas Marg — including installation of air conditioners, chandeliers, flood lights, surveillance equipment, and a variety of electrical appliances — to make the building suitable for residential use. The bungalow, previously used as part of the L-G Secretariat, had not served as a residence earlier.

“Due to administrative reasons, the following tender is being cancelled,” read the corrigendum issued by the executive engineer of the PWD on July 7. The order listed the cancelled work as: “Renovation and upgradation of Bungalow No. 1 including replacement of electrical wiring, fittings and fixtures and execution of various miscellaneous works.” No further reason was provided.

Despite repeated attempts by HT to seek a response, the CMO did not comment on the matter.

HT had earlier reported on July 1 that PWD had issued a tender worth ₹60 lakh for electrical works and appliances at the CM’s residence. The previous tender, dated June 28, stated that the bids would open on July 4 – thus, the cancellation order came three days after the bid opening.

PWD officials, while confirming that the tender was cancelled, declined to comment on whether the renovation will now be carried out under a different process or cancelled entirely. A PWD official familiar with the bungalow’s layout said the upgrades were necessary to make it habitable for residential use.

The now-cancelled proposal included nine categories of renovation work — from chandeliers and hanging lights to appliances such as LED televisions, washing machines, grills, dishwashers, geysers, LCD display toast grills, water purifier units, electric chimneys, and an RO plant.

On June 6, PWD had formally allotted Bungalow Nos. 1 and 2 on Raj Niwas Marg to CM Gupta — one as her official residence and the other as a camp office. On July 4, Gupta inaugurated the “Mukhyamantri Jan Seva Sadan” at Bungalow No. 1, a public grievance redressal centre, where she also held her first jan sunwai (public hearing).

The CM’s residence has long been a matter of political scrutiny.

Gupta, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, has repeatedly distanced herself from the controversial 6, Flagstaff Road bungalow, occupied by her predecessor Arvind Kejriwal. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government was criticised for spending over ₹33 crore on renovations at the residence, which the BJP had dubbed the “Sheesh Mahal” in the run-up to Delhi’s hotly-contested elections earlier this year.

Gupta has publicly vowed not to reside at Flagstaff Road, calling it a “symbol of corruption” of the previous regime.

The CM’s residence in Delhi has often drawn attention. The first two chief ministers, Brahm Prakash and Madan Lal Khurana, were allotted 33, Shamnath Marg — but the house was subsequently avoided by later CMs due to perceptions of “bad luck.” Sheila Dikshit, Delhi’s longest-serving CM, opted for a modest government bungalow at Mathura Road. More recently, Atishi, despite briefly serving as CM, continued living in her private home in Kalkaji.

In response to the development, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has questioned the BJP’s Delhi Government’s sudden cancellation of a tender to equip chief minister Rekha Gupta’s official residence with high-end amenities. AAP Delhi state president Saurabh Bharadwaj said the withdrawal appears to be a response to growing public outrage. “If such luxuries were genuinely required, why cancel the tender? And if they weren’t, why issue it in the first place?” he asked, pressing the Chief Minister to explain the real reason behind the move. He said, “A few days ago, reports emerged that Rekha Gupta had got not one but two ministerial bungalows allotted for herself—an unprecedented move, given that earlier ministers were allotted only one bungalow, with porta cabins provided for office use. Soon after, the PWD floated a massive tender for the renovation of her bungalow.”

Meanwhile, Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor has said, “before making weird statements both AAP leaders . Atishi Marlena Saurabh Bhardwaj should recall that one of the two bungalows alloted to chief minister is a camp office for Jansunwai. Its occupancy rights will remain with general administration department. Both Ms. Atishi, Saurabh Bhardwaj have been ministers and should well know that the he Bungalow in which CM has already shifted to live in is not even one tenth the size of Sheesh Mahal in which their leader Arvind Kejriwal lived as CM. AAP leaders should know that people of Delhi are laughing at them when they note that they are objecting to a PWD renovation budget of few lacs even as their leader Arvind Kejriwal spent ₹52 crores on his Sheesh Mahal and even today he is illegally occupying a MP Bungalow at 5 Ferozshah Road.”