New Delhi: Delhi chief minister Atishi has received an official letter from the Public Works Department (PWD) confirming the allocation of the bungalow at 6, Flagstaff Road, though she has yet to take possession of the property, according to a statement from the chief minister’s office (CMO) released on Thursday.
At present, Atishi continues to reside at AB-17, Mathura Road, the residence assigned to her last year when she became a minister in the Delhi government. The CMO statement clarified, “Chief Minister Atishi received the allocation letter for 6, Flagstaff Road late on Wednesday night. However, she has not yet taken possession of the property.”
Bungalow officially assigned on October 11
The bungalow, situated in the upscale Civil Lines area, was officially assigned to her by the PWD on October 11. The allocation follows a controversy surrounding the handover process after it was vacated by her predecessor, Arvind Kejriwal, who had lived there for over nine years. Kejriwal vacated the residence earlier this month after stepping down as chief minister.
The CMO had earlier said that the residence was “emptied out under pressure from the BJP”. The statement also noted that Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena planed to allocate the residence to a leader from the saffron party.
‘Authority slip’ issued to CM
Officials have confirmed that Atishi has accepted the allocation of the bungalow. She initially moved into the property on October 7 but was asked to vacate two days later to allow for the completion of formal procedures, including the preparation of an inventory of items within the residence.
The PWD has issued an ‘authority slip’ to the chief minister, allowing her to decide when to officially take possession of the bungalow.
