With the formation of a BJP government in Delhi after 26 years, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has assumed office, bringing a wave of administrative changes. However, a key question remains—where will the new chief minister reside? The Public Works Department (PWD) has shortlisted three official residences for her consideration, two bungalows on Deen Dayal Upadhyay (DDU) Marg in central Delhi and another in Civil Lines on Rajpur Road.
Rekha Gupta, the fourth woman to hold the chief minister’s position in Delhi, has taken charge of several crucial departments, including finance, services, vigilance, revenue, and women and child development. Her cabinet includes key figures such as Parvesh Verma, handling PWD, water, legislative affairs, and flood control, while Ashish Sood oversees home, power, education, and urban development.
One of the first major decisions taken by Rekha Gupta’s cabinet was the approval of the Ayushman Bharat Yojana. The for Delhigovernment also announced that 14 pending reports from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) would be tabled in the upcoming Delhi Assembly session.
Following her swearing-in, Rekha Gupta made it clear that she would not be moving into the controversial 6, Flagstaff Road bungalow, which was previously occupied by former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The BJP had dubbed the property ‘Sheeshmahal’ due to its alleged extravagant renovations. Rekha Gupta has proposed transforming the residence into a museum instead.
Earlier this month, the Central Vigilance Commission directed the CPWD to conduct a detailed investigation into the reported merger of properties and the costs incurred on the bungalow’s interiors. This has further fueled discussions on the fate of the property.
PWD officials have confirmed that the shortlisted residences for Rekha Gupta were selected after undergoing necessary repair work. Once she finalizes her choice, the allocation will be subject to approval from the General Administration Department (GAD).
Currently, Rekha Gupta continues to reside in her private home in Shalimar Bagh, her constituency. Officials have assured that all the proposed options align with the Z-category security provisions designated for the Delhi chief minister, though a final security review is scheduled for February 21.
Her predecessor, Atishi, also had Z-category security but chose to live in her private residence, eliminating the need for additional security modifications. Typically, official CM residences are equipped with necessary security measures, but in the past decade, these were not required due to former leaders opting for private accommodations.
As Delhi transitions under its new government, all eyes remain on Rekha Gupta’s decisions, from governance policies to her choice of an official residence.
