NEW DELHI: The Sheesh Mahal bungalow is like a “white elephant” and the Delhi government is yet to decide its fate, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Monday. It was the official residence of the ex-CM Arvind Kejriwal.
“It is lying as a white elephant with the Delhi government, and we are thinking what to do with it,” Gupta remarked.
She said it was “painful” to see the wastage of public resources on “Sheesh Mahal” and asserted that it will be ensured that the money “wasted” on it by Kejriwal is returned to Delhi’s exchequer.
Earlier, a highly placed source in Delhi government had said that “Only those holding top positions will take decisions about the future of the bungalow. They will also decide the timing as to when to allow its use for any particular purpose”.
The PWD is custodian of the property and any announcement related to it will be made only by the department.
Since assuming office in February this year, the Rekha Gupta-led BJP government has remained unusually quiet about the fate of the property that was once used as a symbol of AAP’s alleged extravagance during the election campaign.
The bungalow has long drawn public attention over the controversy surrounding the renovation expenses.
CAG’s findings had triggered demands for accountability and transparency, as the renovation cost had steeped to Rs 7.91 crore.