Even CM, ministers shun Maha Sadan for substandardness: Somaiya

BJP MP Kirit Somaiya, who is the Chairman of the House Committee, which decides on allocation of residential premises to newly elected MPs, today said the facilities at New Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi are so sub-standard that even Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan does not live there when he is in the national capital.

Talking to reporters, Somaiya said Chavan still occupies the official bungalow which was alloted to him as a Union Minister. "Senior ministers like Narayan Rane, Chhagan Bhujbal have not spent a day at the premises during their visits here. All the six Congress-NCP ministers including former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan prefer to stay in seven star hotels paying from their own pockets," he said.

Somaiya said the new premises is not worth living because of lack of basic amenities like water supply. "In the entire complex, there is leakage, poor air conditioner, fans. Despite the incomplete work, possession was taken over from the contractor and inauguration was done at the hands of the President of India last year," he said.

Somaiya said the force-feeding incident at the New Maharashtra Sadan was "regrettable". "Chief Minister has announced an enquiry into the entire incident and we want him to incorporate the poor facilities at the complex into the probe," he added.

"The Governor's suite in the Sadan is in dire straits and air conditioner fans don't work in the other four suites," he said. He said the PAC had reported Rs 6,500 crore irregularities in the construction of the New Maharashtra Sadan and asked for action to be taken against the concerned persons. "However, the state government has not done anything," he said.