More than a year and a half after a fire gutted the top four floors of Mantralaya, the renovation work on the floors, including the offices of the chief minister and the deputy chief minister, will be fully completed by the end of the year.
The total expenditure will be around Rs230 crore, say public works department (PWD) officials. The cost of the project has gone up with the inclusion of the furniture, lifts, escalators, ventilation and lighting, among others.
“There are several additions, including the bullet-proof glass in the office of the chief minister and the deputy chief minister. Besides, items like furniture have not been accounted for in the Rs138-crore contract given to Unity Infrastructure,” said an official. Till date, the renovation work has incurred an expenditure of Rs70 crore, out of the Rs138 crore sanctioned so far.
“We will be starting work on the ground plus one, two and three floors with the start of the new year and the offices on these floors will be shifted to the top floors. The work should be completed within the next three to four months. Work will be done at a faster rate on these floors as compared with that on the floors above,” said a PWD official.
The deadline for the completion of renovation of the top four floors was set in August this year.
However, work got delayed due to several reasons. “The seventh floor was not planned in this manner. Besides, the use of chemicals had disturbed the employees and indirectly affected our work,” said another PWD official.
The renovated Mantralaya building will sport a space-frame glass atrium over the central courtyard, besides grand steps leading to the façade.
As many as 14 escalators are being installed for public use. Latest fire-fighting systems, with sprinklers on the ceiling as well as on the ground, are being installed and all wiring will be underground.
There will be central air-conditioning and dedicated lifts for VIPs. More importantly, commoners will have to meet officials and staff at the waiting room and won’t have free access to the cabins or the new cubicles set for the officials.
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