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The cost of maintaining old Lutyens’ Delhi bungalows is rising.
The cost of maintaining the government residences of Union ministers located in the Lutyens’ area of Delhi is steadily increasing. The government spent a record ₹92.35 crore on the repair, renovation and maintenance of these bungalows in the financial year 2025-26. This amount is more than three times the ₹27.47 crore spent in 2014-15.
According to information received by PTI through RTI, the central government spent a total of ₹547.68 crore on the maintenance of these government residences through the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) between 2014-15 and 2025-26. CPWD looks after most of the work related to repair, renovation and maintenance of these bungalows.
Many reasons are being given behind this sharp increase in expenditure. Along with rising inflation, these decades-old buildings continue to face problems like general wear and tear, water leakage, termites and outdated structures. In such a situation, large scale repair and renovation is required from time to time.
₹92.35 crore in 2025-26, more than three times the amount spent in 2014-15.
According to data, ₹27.47 crore was spent on the maintenance of government residences of Union ministers in 2014-15. After this, this expenditure saw continuous fluctuations over the years and in 2025-26 this figure increased to ₹92.35 crore.
This increase in expenditure over a decade also reflects the age and maintenance needs of these government bungalows. These houses often require renovation and structural improvements in addition to regular repairs.
The total figure of ₹547.68 crore revealed through RTI shows that the government has to continuously spend huge amounts of money to keep these historical buildings useful and safe.
Many bungalows were built between 1912 and 1930.
Many of the government bungalows in Lutyens’ Delhi are nearly a century old. According to available information, they were mainly constructed between 1912 and 1930. These buildings form an important part of the historical and administrative landscape of Delhi.
The maintenance of such old buildings presents different challenges than typical modern buildings. Older structures, plumbing, electrical systems, and other building components require repairs and upgrades over time.
Apart from this, problems like dampness and water leakage may also occur frequently in buildings. Minor repairs alone are not sufficient to address these and in many cases extensive renovations are required.
Problems like seepage and termites increase maintenance burden
In these nearly 100-year-old bungalows, problems like seepage, termites, and aging infrastructure are among the major factors contributing to increased maintenance costs. Over time, the walls, roofs and wooden parts of buildings become subject to repair.
Delhi’s weather and continuous use also affect these buildings. Problems like water seepage and moisture during monsoon can become an additional challenge for old buildings.
In such a situation, CPWD has to carry out regular maintenance as well as repair and renovation work as per the need. This is the reason why the expenditure on maintenance of these bungalows has increased significantly compared to previous years.
Along with inflation, repairing old buildings has also become a major challenge.
The rise in maintenance costs cannot be attributed solely to the age of buildings. The increase in the cost of construction materials, labour and repair services over time has also impacted government expenditure.
Additionally, older bungalows are likely to have additional structural issues uncovered during any general renovations. While repairing a small problem, other parts of the building may also need improvements.
Because of this, the maintenance budget often exceeds the initial estimate. In the case of official residences of Union Ministers, regular maintenance is also considered necessary keeping in mind the security, convenience and condition of the building.
Over ₹547 crore spent on Lutyens’ Delhi government residences in 12 years
Data revealed through RTI reveals that a total of ₹547.68 crore was spent on the maintenance of government residences of Union ministers from 2014-15 to 2025-26. The expenditure of ₹92.35 crore in 2025-26 was the highest figure for this period.
Given the historical identity of these bungalows and their nearly century-old structure, there is a need for regular repair and conservation. But the continued rise in costs also raises questions about how much the financial burden of maintaining these residences might increase in the coming years.
At present, the challenge before the government is to keep these historical government buildings safe and useful and also to effectively manage the expenditure incurred on their maintenance.
