YOU will pay Rs 3,000 crore to rebuild 516 Lutyens' bungalows

At least 516 bungalows in the prime Lutyen's zone of Delhi, built almost 90 years ago, are proposed to be dismantled and rebuilt with modern specifications such as earthquake resistance at an estimated cost of Rs 3,000 crore.

According to a plan firmed up by the urban development ministry, the bungalows which house ministers, judges and top officials of the government will be razed and rebuilt in a phased manner over a period of 20 years.

The reconstruction work on 29 bungalows will be taken up in the first phase as they have been identified as structurally unsafe. The rest 487 bungalows will be taken up later.

"We have moved the proposal to the Expenditure Finance Committee for redevelopment of total 516 Lutyens' bungalows in the capital. After the clearance from the EFC, the proposal will go to the cabinet for its approval," said a senior urban development  ministry official. The EFC is chaired by Expenditure Secretary and other members of the committee include urban development secretary and a Member of the Planning Commission among others.

According to the estimate, redevelopment work on each bungalow will cost about Rs 2.7 crore. The new bungalows will be constructed as per the new specifications using new building materials and earthquake resistant technology.

All the bungalows to be erased and reconstructed are in type VII and VIII categories and currently being occupied by Union ministers, judges and senior bureaucrats. These bungalows were constructed in the 1920s and 1930s.

"While most of these old bungalows are outlived its uitility, some are being identified as structurally unsafe and requires major repair," he said.

“Those bungalows which have been identified as structurally distressed (unsafe) and required immediate attention will be taken up in the first phase," the official said, adding "the reconstruction of new bungalows is expected to be completed by 2035."

There are a total 1,200 bungalows in Lutyens' zone out of which 516 to be razed and rebuilt as per the plan. The government spends about Rs 40 cr in a year for the upkeep of these old bungalows.

The new proposed bungalows to be constructed by CPWD are expected to have modular kitchen, solar water heating system, earthquake engineering compliant and other modern features.

"Efforts will be made to keep the Lutyens' character of these bungalows intact. The design of the new bungalows will be duly cleared by the Delhi urban arts commission," the official said.