BENGALURU: “Work in progress” boards greet those visiting the offices of ministers at Vidhana Soudha. For, renovation of some ministers’ offices is still going on although the Congress government came into being four months ago.
The renovation work includes changing floor tiles, redoing the interiors, painting and getting new furniture.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his deputy DK Shivakumar and a few ministers took oath in the second week of May and the rest by May-end. Soon after the oath-taking ceremony, the ministers were allotted offices in Vidhana Soudha and Vikas Soudha. Most of them occupied their offices in June.
However, Mines and Geology and Horticulture Minister SS Mallikarjun is yet to move into his office. The office space allotted to him on the third floor of Vidhana Soudha is being renovated. An official from the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) told TNIE that Mallikarjun was allotted a room nearly four months ago.
“He is now getting it renovated by a private contractor and not from the Public Works Department (PWD),” he said.
Renovation is nearing completion
Government sources said that the renovation work is nearing completion and the minister’s office now looks swanky with new interiors and furniture. “It is now up to the minister to occupy his chamber,”
the sources added. The minister is now holding meetings at Khanija Bhavan on Race Course Road.
Shivakumar has been allotted four rooms in Vidhana Soudha (335, 336, 337 and 337A). Presently, 337A is being converted into a conference hall. Sources said usually one or two rooms are allotted to a minister. But Shivak-umar insisted on four rooms for him, of which one is now being converted into a conference hall. There are some conference halls on the third floor.
However, Shivakumar sought a separate conference hall for himself. Apart from this work, one or two rooms on each floor of Vidhana Soudha are being renovated. Some rooms allotted to the ministers are undergoing major renovation work as per their directions, the sources said.