The Maharashtra Sadan, the five-star government guesthouse in Delhi, has turned out to be a white elephant for the government.The government spent more than Rs100 crore over four years to build 138 air-conditioned luxury rooms spread over 1.80 lakh sqft of plot at a prime location in the capital.But there are hardly any takers and the government is struggling to foot the maintenance bill of Rs50-60 lakh per month. So, it has decided to rent out some of the luxury rooms to private hospitality firms. “The maintenance charges include a monthly electricity bill of Rs30 lakh,” a public works department official said. “How do we meet these expenses when we are not earning anything?” Bipin Malik, resident commissioner at Maharashtra Sadan, confirmed the costly housekeeping charges. “We might give some rooms on lease or rent,” he said. A PWD source, however, said the government wants to charge Rs5,000-7,000 a day per room. “It’s less than five-star hotels.” Malik said rooms for government officers, journalists, MPs, MLAs will not be let out.Another state official said the guesthouse management is switching off ACs of some rooms to cut power usage. “But technical consultants say it can damage AC units,” he said. It takes at least 200 workers to maintain the guesthouse. “But there are hardly 20 workers...” said another official.The guesthouse has hit a row over rising construction costs besides allegations that contracts had been given to PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal’s kin.

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