Renovation work of MLA Hostel, Ravi Bhavan, may need more funds
04 Nov 2022 09:05:41
Staff Reporter
It is a routine work for Public Works Department (PWD) every year to renovate important Government guest houses like MLA Hostel, Ravi Bhavan, Nag Bhavan in Nagpur prior to Winter Session of State Legislature. This time, PWD has to exert more--physically and financially too. Reason? The session being held in Nagpur after a gap of 2 years due to coronavirus pandemic. Since more repairing work is expected to be done, the funds the agency would require will be more than the funds it receives every year.
The last session that Nagpur witnessed was in 2019 during which PWD had done the routine renovation. But 2020 and 2021 went without session. These buildings were the part of quarantine centres where COVID-19 patients were kept. Obviously, the maintenance work could not be done. Ramgiri, the official residence of Chief Minister, was well-maintained. Deogiri, residence of Deputy Chief Minister, was not maintained well so its work was taken on priority basis. Plus, new Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, being a Nagpurian, has to visit the city more frequently so he needs to stay in Deogiri. Despite COVID-19 waves, ministers kept coming to Nagpur. They stayed at the Ravi Bhavan cottages due to which its maintenance was done on regular basis. Comparatively, Nag Bhavan remained neglected, which PWD’s Senior Divisional Engineer Vasant Upadhye, too, agreed.
“MLA Hostel, Nag Bhavan remained neglected as there was no movement in both these Government residences in last two years. This time, we will have to take all care and will need more funds for the same,” pointed out Upadhye.
If maintenance is done regularly, then the requirement of funds is less and not much work is to be done. This time, PWD will be under heavy load as it has the backlog of two years of work.
Considering a little more renovation work, PWD has closed all common movements in MLA Hostel, Nag Bhavan and Ravi Bhavan, except the VIP ones.
Government never allots a special fund to PWD for the renovation work of these important residential buildings. It approves a sum meant for the initial preparation for winter session. But the amount is mostly spent for renovation work. Due to the two years gap in maintenance, rooms in MLA Hostel, Nag Bhavan are in a bad shape. From window doors, curtains, bedsheets everything is missing. The cleanliness work of rooms is pending. Algae can be seen in the corners of most rooms. The condition of canteens at both places- Ravi Bhavan and MLA Hostel - too has become bad.
According to PWD officials, the rooms need painting from inside too. Not in all the rooms of MLA hostel, MLAs or MLCs stay, still PWD has to see no complaint should be received in case of any type of lacuna. Long ago, a query was raised why Government spends so much money on the maintenance or renovation work of these buildings, which are of no use to public? The question still remained unanswered.