Maintenance and renovation expenses for Union ministers’ official bungalows in Lutyens' Delhi reached a record ₹92.35 crore in the 2025-26 fiscal year. This highlights a steady rise in fiscal spending, driven by the need to upgrade nearly century-old infrastructure that faces persistent structural and utility challenges.
The annual cost to maintain, renovate, and furnish the official bungalows used by Union ministers in Lutyens' Delhi climbed to a record ₹92.35 crore in the 2025-26 fiscal year. This expenditure represents a significant rise in government spending on these historic properties, which serve as residences for members of the Union Council of Ministers.
Data collected via Right to Information (RTI) filings shows that the annual maintenance cost has more than tripled over the last decade. In the 2014-15 fiscal year, the expenditure stood at ₹27.47 crore. Over the 12-year period spanning 2014-15 to 2025-26, the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), which manages these estates, has spent a total of ₹547.68 crore on repairs and upgrades.
Infrastructure Challenges
The upward trend in spending is primarily driven by the age and condition of these bungalows. Most of these structures were built between 1912 and 1930, making them nearly a century old. CPWD officials have frequently identified complex maintenance needs, including termite infestations, water seepage, and outdated plumbing and electrical systems. As these issues persist, the government has been forced to allocate higher budgets to ensure these properties remain habitable and safe for occupation.
Beyond basic structural repairs, inflation and the cost of maintaining expansive, colonial-era grounds have also contributed to the rising figures. The average annual spending on repairs and upgrades doubled from approximately ₹26.78 crore during the 2014-2019 period to nearly ₹50 crore between 2019 and 2024. This trend continued to accelerate, reaching ₹71.98 crore in 2024-25 before hitting the latest record in 2025-26.
Fiscal Implications
With the Union Council of Ministers typically consisting of around 70 to 72 members, the latest annual expenditure translates to an average of roughly ₹1.2 crore per bungalow. While actual costs for individual residences vary based on the specific repair requirements, the consistent rise in these expenses poses a long-term fiscal challenge. Taxpayers and policy observers may continue to track how the government balances the preservation of these historical assets with the rising financial burden of their upkeep and the potential need for more comprehensive structural renovations.