Delhi’s ageing Lutyens bungalows now carry a Rs 92-crore upkeep bill for ministers

Record Expenditure on Ministerial Bungalows

The upkeep of Delhi’s iconic Lutyens bungalows – now nearly a century old – has become increasingly expensive. Annual expenditure on the renovation, furnishing, and repair of the official residences of Union ministers touched a record high of ₹92.35 crore in 2025-26, more than three times the ₹27.47 crore spent in 2014-15, according to information obtained by PTI through an RTI query.

Data accessed by the news agency shows the government spent ₹547.68 crore on such works between 2014-15 and 2025-26 through the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), which executes these repairs, renovations, and maintenance tasks.

The 2025-26 figure was the highest annual bill since 2014, officials said, attributing the rise to inflation as well as the wear and tear of ageing structures set in expansive grounds in central Delhi. The expenditure has grown steadily: after averaging ₹26.78 crore annually between 2014 and 2019, spending climbed to nearly ₹50 crore a year between 2019 and 2024, then to ₹71.98 crore in 2024-25 before reaching the record level.

Ageing Infrastructure and Maintenance Challenges

CPWD officials have, over the years, pointed to numerous challenges in maintaining these properties, including seepage, termite infestation, ageing electrical systems, and plumbing problems. "These are mostly 80, 90, 100-year-old bungalows. Some, though not all, had even become structurally unsafe and needed to be upgraded," an official told PTI.

The bungalow zone was developed between 1912 and 1930 as part of the creation of New Delhi as the imperial capital, and after Independence it was adapted for use by senior government functionaries. Today, the residences are occupied not only by ministers but also by members of Parliament, senior judges, and top military officers, among others.

A Historical Perspective

Historian and author Swapna Liddle told PTI that the name "Lutyens Bungalow Zone" can be misleading. Edwin Lutyens himself designed only the official bungalows within the President's Estate, surrounding Rashtrapati Bhavan. Most of New Delhi's colonial-era government bungalows, she explained, were designed by architects of the Public Works Department under the British administration. She noted the pattern was similar to residences built by the British in Civil Lines in most Indian cities, featuring a big compound with ancillary buildings for staff. One such bungalow, currently occupied by Home Minister Amit Shah on Krishna Menon Marg, once housed architect Herbert Baker, who designed the old Parliament Building and the North and South Blocks.

Cost per Minister and Data Limitations

The Union council of ministers currently has around 70 to 72 members. Based on that number, the average maintenance cost per minister works out to about ₹1.2 crore for 2025-26, according to PTI data.

However, the figures do not include residences of non-minister members of Parliament or offices of ministers of state and their official staff, as the pertaining data was not furnished by CPWD in response to the RTI query.

Staff working in these bungalows have anonymously mentioned frequent requests for routine repairs, including those for fans, LED lights, plumbing and floor tiles, indicating the constant upkeep required for the structures.

Historical Spending and Future Outlook

In separate RTI response from September 2009, the government had disclosed spending ₹93.50 crore over the previous five years (2004-09) on bungalows of MPs and ministers, that figure included residences of MPs and ministers. While the 2025-26 figure is a record for the period since 2014, the 2009 response indicates that the spending levels have been significant in previous periods as well.

Some reports have noted that there have been proposals, though never officially announced, to raze and rebuild some of the bungalows to address their age- and deterioration-related issues. No formal decision on such a plan has been made public.

Perspectives

Official Perspective

CPWD officials attribute the rising bill to inflation and the inevitable wear and tear of structures built nearly a century ago. They note that many bungalows are structurally unsafe and need to be upgraded rather than merely patched, justifying the "substantial" investment.

Historian Perspective

Historian Swapna Liddle emphasizes that the Lutyens Bungalow Zone's name is a misnomer regarding design authorship, noting that while Edwin Lutyens designed some within the President's Estate, most were designed by PWD architects. Her comments underscore the historical and architectural significance of the area, which might be relevant to how these structures are maintained.

Concern Over Transparency

A member of the staff, speaking on condition of anonymity, highlighted the routine repair requests, suggesting that the high spending may not always translate into lasting solutions. This perspective reflects the practical challenges and possibly inefficiencies in the maintenance process.

(These perspectives are based on statements and commentary quoted in the reporting sources.)