Delhi bungalow at heart of tussle formally offered to Atishi

The Public Works Department (PWD) on Friday offered Delhi chief minister Atishi the possession of 6, Flag Staff Road – a bungalow that has been the centre of a showdown between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on one side and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and lieutenant governor on the other. The move hopefully draws to a close the prolonged flashpoint about the residence in Civil Lines, where Arvind Kejriwal lived between 2015 and 2024 as chief minister.
The Delhi chief minister’s office did not comment on whether Atishi will accept the allotment offer and move into the Flag Staff Road bungalow.
“The director of allotment, PWD, GNCTD is pleased to offer the under-mentioned [6, Flag Staff Road] PWD general pool bungalow to Ms Atishi, hon’ble chief minister, GNCTD, as per the provisions of Delhi Administration Allotment of Govt. Residences (General Pool) Rules, 1977. The allottee is requested to arrange to submit acceptance… to this office within 8 days from the date of issue of the letter,” stated the PWD’s offer letter dated October 11.
The allotment offer of the 6, Flag Staff Road bungalow to Atishi follows a bizarre week-long controversy that started on October 7 as soon as she moved into the residence, three days after her predecessor Arvind Kejriwal shifted out. Within hours of Atishi moving into the house, PWD officials suggested she was not yet officially allocated the residence.
The bungalow in question is not a dedicated house for the Delhi chief minister, and Kejriwal was the first CM to stay there, according to PWD records.
The BJP alleged that Atishi had moved in “illegally” and urged PWD to take custody of the bungalow with police assistance and seal it.
Then on October 9, PWD locked the bungalow, which prompted the AAP to allege that Atishi was “forcibly” evicted at the behest of LG VK Saxena and the BJP.
The LG office said the house was locked so that an inventory could be carried out, and the property may be allotted to incumbent CM Atishi. The BJP, meanwhile, urged PWD to conduct a “complete investigation” of the bungalow, which has been mired in controversy after the party accused former CM Arvind Kejriwal of spending ₹45 crore in renovating it. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2023 registered a preliminary enquiry into alleged irregularities in the renovation of the bungalow.
The AAP has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
AAP in a statement, slammed the BJP over the controversy surrounding the bungalow. “Once again, the BJP has resorted to false claims in a desperate attempt to malign the AAP and divert attention from their lack of constructive politics. All due procedures were followed during the handover of the CM residence. The keys were formally transferred by the former chief minister (Arvind Kejriwal) to the PWD officials, who then rightfully handed them to the current Chief Minister, Atishi,” said AAP in a statement.
“The BJP’s negative politics, aimed solely at disrupting the progress of Delhi and tarnishing AAP’s image, has once again come to the forefront. Their baseless accusations and anti-women mentality were evident in the shameful actions of the Lieutenant Governor (LG), who, driven by vendetta, irresponsibly removed the belongings of a sitting woman Chief Minister from her residence. The BJP is free to continue employing its dirty tricks, but AAP remains steadfast. We will ensure that every effort made to hinder our work will fail, and that the welfare of Delhi’s citizens will be addressed efficiently and without delay,” the AAP added.
On October 10, PWD engineers visited the bungalow and inventoried the items in it. The inventory report was submitted to the deputy secretary of the housing allotment section of PWD, said a PWD official, adding that the final offer of allotment was made following the submission of the aforementioned report.
The details of the inventory found at the bungalow were not shared by officials.
The allotment offer letter stated the process of handing over the possession of the building.
“After submitting acceptance, the allottee will be given an authority slip from PWD secretariat… in order to take possession of the allotted house/bungalow within the date mentioned in the authority slip. In case of failure to take the possession of the allotted bungalow within the time specified, the allotment will be treated as cancelled,” the letter stated.
According to the offer of allotment letter, the offer of allotment is subject to certain conditions such as the allottee will have to vacate the house/bungalow which is in possession of the allottee within 15 days after taking possession of the new house/bungalow allotted in lieu of the previous one.
“If allottee makes any unauthorised construction in the bungalow at any time, the allotment is liable to be cancelled in addition to payment of applicable damages etc. as per the relevant provisions of Delhi Administration Allotment of Govt. Residences (General Pool) Rules, 1977,” the letter stated.
A PWD official said that the conditions are not specific to Atishi but they are general conditions for every occupant and are applicable to all PWD bungalows when allotted.
“Since the said house is under investigation of CBI/ other agencies for various violations, the allottee is advised to extend full cooperation in the investigation, as may be required,” stated the offer of allotment.
The controversy over the bungalow reached its crescendo on Thursday after the AAP shared on social media pictures and video of CM Atishi working while surrounded by cardboard cartons lying around her sofa at her personal house in south Delhi.
Atishi was allotted AB-17 Mathura Road bungalow in 2023 soon after she was appointed a minister in Arvind Kejriwal cabinet, and she continues to hold the possession of the bungalow till now.
The AAP’s posts prompted BJP leader Vijender Gupta to visit AB-17 Mathura road bungalow and found that “four luxury cars were parked (there), and her staff was also working”. Gupta later alleged that Atishi only wants to do “drama” instead of focussing on work.
Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said if the former and current chief ministers had allowed the legal process of the bungalow’s surrender and allotment to be completed, perhaps there would not have been any controversy.
“The allotment offer of the 6 Flag Staff Road bungalow to Atishi Marlena by the PWD has deflated the bungalow controversy fabricated by the AAP and the CM herself. This allotment offer will not stop the Sheesh Mahal controversy because the people of Delhi want to see its interior, but the Kejriwal shadow government under Marlena will not show it, and the result will be seen as AAP’s defeat in the election,” said Sachdeva in a statement.
The Delhi government did not respond to requests for comment.
No response was available from the LG office despite HT reaching out for a response.