As per the presentation made by NMC in the meeting, the civic body does not have any permanent official residence of its own for the Mayor. It has sought transfer of a property in Civil Lines for Mayor’s Bungalow. The property is in Khasra No 77 in Mouza Sitabuldi. This particular property spread over 6,982.30 sq mtrs is presently in possession of Maha Metro. At present, though Maha Metro headquarters have been shifted to the newly constructed Metro Bhawan near Deekshabhoomi, the Civil Lines property in its possession houses offices of the Reach-1 (Airport to Sitabuldi inter-change) and track maintenance staff. Before raising the demand with the Deputy Chief Minister, NMC had sent an official proposal to District Collector on August 25, 2022, seeking transfer of the said property for Mayor’s Bungalow.

Previously, there was an old property in New Colony, Sadar. NMC had leased it out to Textile Corporation. When the lease had expired and was yet to be renewed, the then office-bearers had sought the said land for Mayor’s Bungalow. Vedprakash Arya, former corporator, had followed up the issue for a long time. There was an audit objection too, according to which the New Colony plot was given on lease to a project under Textile Corporation, which had sold the land without obtaining prior permission from NMC to a private developer. Obviously, then, NMC’s plan of having an official residence for Mayor on the said land could not materialise. Now, if the State Government issues official order, NMC may get the Civil Lines property in possession of Maha Metro, for Mayor’s Bungalow.

In the same meeting, NMC also raised another issue that it does not have self-owned official residence for Municipal Commissioner. At present, ‘Tapasya’ bungalow which is the property of Public Works Department (PWD) near Law College Square is being used as official residence of Municipal Commissioner. Now, NMC has sought ownership of the said property spread over 5,124.30 sq mtrs in Mouza Gadga as permanent official bungalow for the Municipal Commissioner. Already, NMC had submitted a proposal in this regard to Additional Chief Secretary of PWD on September 26, 2022. Now, the civic body has followed up the matter with the Deputy Chief Minister seeking transfer of the PWD property to itself (NMC) for Municipal Commissioner’s official residence.