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HomeEditors Pick : Top StoriesFour Raj Bhawans, one occupant and the fortune it costs to maintain...

Four Raj Bhawans, one occupant and the fortune it costs to maintain them

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For some people, life at the Raj Bhawan is all about having fun at government expense.

C. Vidyasagar Rao the Governor of Maharashtra officially resides in four government houses –in Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, and Mahabaleshwar.

Such a large number of Raj Bhawan suited the British, who made the Government shift from Mumbai to Mahabaleshwar by the end of February and move to Poona in May and back to Mumbai in November. It went on till 1875. But today, is it feasible to shift the Government of Maharashtra away from Mumbai even for a single day?

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Then why do we need so many Raj Bhawans?

helecopterAll VVIPs, including the Chief Minister – the leader of an elected majority party in the state – stay in the Circuit House. Why does the Governor need to retain permanent staff and incur costs at places where he is hardly going to stay for more than a few days or let’s say not more than one month a year?

Like Mukesh Ambani, Maharashtra Governor too has his helipad, swimming pool, gymnasium, badminton and tennis court, private club, beach, and a thick mile-long exclusive forest. They all have to be maintained, staffed and illuminated. The emoluments of Governors have increased 2000% since 1987. Who do you think pays the bill?5

Not just the Governor, even the Class IV employees of Raj Bhawan live in such style many businessmen can’t afford. About 68 of them were issued 360 sq.ft single-bedroom flat in a 14-storey building exclusively built for the Governor’s staff on the Marine Drive. Located as they are near the sea – the market rate of these flats fitted with all modern amenities is nothing less than Rs.4.5 crore per flat.

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Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, and Mahabaleshwar

Maharashtra Government Houses are amongst the costliest Raj Bhawan’s in India as far as the maintenance cost is concerned. It requires an expense of Rs.4.6 crore per year to provide for the food, petrol, air travel and maintenance of the sprawling lawns. It is triple the amount of Rs 1.5 crore spent in 1987 when the Ministry of Home Affairs fixed the expenditure ceilings for Raj Bhawans. It was last revised by MHA in 2006 and paid from the consolidated fund of the Maharashtra government.

In a letter to the MHA, the Maharashtra governor’s secretary has sought a 200% increase in the maintenance budget. The plea taken is that price of Mumbai-Delhi airfare, electricity, petrol, water, foodstuff, telephone services, soil, and manure have increased. Hence, the Raj Bhawan needs more funds. These funds are needed for the governor’s office, stationery allowance, tour expenses by air, road or rail; as well as entertainment, laundry, sports and hospitality expenses for official guests. That is beside maintenance of furnishings, vehicles, gardens, and lawns.

Even though the Governor hardly stays in Pune, the salary bill of the 20 staff – including garden one supervisor, 11 gardeners, four “room boys” and one sweeper is Rs 22,24,920 annually. Apart from this expense for hiring other personnel, maintenance, get-togethers and kitchen essentials cost Rs 82,06,709 a year. The overall fixed expenditure to maintain the forty-acre property is Rs 8,69,302 per month or over a crore rupees per year. Also, expenses are incurred on security whenever a VVIP like the President or Prime Minister visit Maharashtra.

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The over a century old Mumbai Raj Bhawan is the most expensive government property – in India. It also happens to be the first Raj Bhawan to receive ISO 9001:2008 certification -but what is the point when the premises itself is unsafe and needs to be pulled down to build a new one. Despite controlling four prime properties, the Maharashtra Governor may soon be homeless unless he can shell out Rs 20 crore to build a new official residence at the tip of Queen’s Necklace at Malabar Hill.

The original one overlooking the Arabian Sea was built in 1868 and has been corroded by chloride from sea water. A portion of its ceiling caved in during P C Alexander’s tenure. Originally, a hunting lodge for the British rulers, it was converted into the Governor’s summer residence and eventually came to be the governor’s official residence. According to experts from IIT (Mumbai), the existing structure may not be able to withstand the damage due to an earthquake, in Mumbai, which lies in the seismic zone (category III).

What could be a worse mess than allowing the Governor House to be hired for marriages and functions? The producer of “Brides Wanted, was allowed to host the Mahurat of his film inside the Raj Bhawan – still many films and political bigwigs did not turn up.

MUMBAI RAJ BHAWAN

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Surrounded by the sea on three sides the 50 acres Raj Bhawan on Malabar Hill was once called the Queen of all Raj Bhawan in India. A staff of 200 people is required to maintain the cluster of seven bungalows and the lawns.raj-bhawan-7

Jal Bhushan– the Office and Residence of the Governor has French furniture, Iranian paintings, Persian carpets, wood carvings, sandstone sculpture and portraits of Maratha chieftains in the Governor’s office.

Jal Chintan or Point Bungalow on the southernmost tip of Malabar Hill with its uninterrupted view of the Arabian Sea and Prong’s Lighthouse is reserved for prime ministers. Both Nehru, Indira Gandhi loved to stay here. There was a time it was the only bungalow on Malabar Point till Evan Nepean built his own cottage Jal Laxan. Jal Laxan, Jal Kiran, and Bay Bungalow – adjoining it- are only used when President, Prime Minister, Vice-President, Chief Justice of India and other such dignitaries arrive in Mumbai as a state guest.

Jail Lakshan – with its fine collection of portraits of Maratha chieftains is reserved for the visit of the President of India. The gold studded furniture in its Presidential Suite befits the President.

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Jal Vihar, the Durbar Hall, designed by George Wittet the brain behind the Gateway of India and Prince of Wales Museum is the venue for swearing-in ceremonies and stately functions. The last Durbar was held 75 years back when the Maratha Sardars attended it. Since then the Darbar Hall has been used by Governors to host banquets for dignitaries and visiting Heads of State. It’s priceless Persian carpets, silver salvers and chandeliers create an ambiance of the Mughal glory. It has the biggest dining rooms that can seat 48 diners at a time with a large ballroom and a wooden jail.

Jal Sabhagraha– the serene Durbar Hall of the Raj Bhawan is today used for swearing in ceremonies.

PUNE RAJ BHAWAN

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Both Mahabaleshwar and Pune have served as the Summer residence of Maharashtra Governor. The Raj Bhawan at Ganeshkhind was designed by famous architect James Trubshawea in Pune. On 15th August every year, the Governor attends the Independence Day celebrations at Poona, the monsoon residence of the Governor of Maharashtra for almost a hundred and eighty years.

Sri Prakasa was the only Governor, who stayed at Mahabaleshwar for four months between 1956-1962. Since then Governors attends the Independence Day celebrations at Pune on 15th August, but hardly stay for a month. Governor K Sankaranarayanan visited Pune for a maximum 36 days in the financial year 2010-2011.

The Raj Bhawan on Aundh Road, Pune, has four-five buildings and a 26 acre dense forest around it.

NAGPUR RAJ BHAWANraj-bhawan8

The 110-year-old Nagpur Raj Bhawan has accommodated many Chief Commissioners and State Governors, including Central Provinces, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. At the time of independence, it used to be the house of the Governor of Madhya Pradesh but nine years later it House of the Governor of Bombay

MAHABALESHWAR RAJ BHAWAN

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The Governors House at Mahabaleshwar– called Giri Darshan is a relatively small building, in the midst of forests on Sahyadri Hills. The Governor hardly stays here except for a few weeks in summer. Maha + Bala + Ishwara i.e. “God of Great strength “was the favorite destination for the British Governors whenever they wished to escape the sultry heat of Bombay.

Prior to 1932, Governors used to stay here at Bella Vista when it was decided to shift the Governor House to Terraces. It required major renovations.


Pictures Courtesy:  Sudharak Olwe/ Raj Bhavan of Maharashtra

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Neeraj Mahajan
Neeraj Mahajanhttps://n2erajmahajan.wordpress.com/
Neeraj Mahajan is a hard-core, creative and dynamic media professional with over 35 years of proven competence and 360 degree experience in print, electronic, web and mobile journalism. He is an eminent investigative journalist, out of the box thinker, and a hard-core reporter who is always hungry for facts. Neeraj has worked in all kinds of daily/weekly/broadsheet/tabloid newspapers, magazines and television channels like Star TV, BBC, Patriot, Sunday Observer, Sunday Mail, Network Magazine, Verdict, and Gfiles Magazine.

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