Official residences need timely repairs, says Pinarayi Vijayan
Many of the official residences are in a pathetic state due to poor maintenance and the media tend to depict any effort to launch repairs as ‘beautification,’ implying that it is unnecessary spending, says Keralam Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan has emphasized the urgent need for timely repairs on official residences allocated to the Chief Minister, Leader of the Opposition, and other ministers. Following a recent controversy surrounding planned repairs at Cliff House, the residence of Keralam's Chief Minister, Mr. Vijayan highlighted that many of these official residences are in poor condition due to inadequate maintenance.
The media often labels repair efforts as "beautification," suggesting they are unnecessary expenditures. Mr. Vijayan mentioned that repairs had been planned at Cliff House during his tenure as Chief Minister under the previous LDF government. Although government departments deemed repairs essential for security reasons, they were not pursued when the government term ended.
Subsequently, Mr. Vijayan opted to rent a house instead of moving into Cantonment House, the Leader of the Opposition's official residence, which also required repairs. Mr. Vijayan expressed his surprise at having lived in a rented house for what he believed was only a two-week period. He stressed that government departments should establish a clear policy for conducting repairs annually without waiting for the occupants' permission, without causing any inconvenience.
Many of the official residences, located on expansive grounds in various parts of the capital city, are classified as Travancore-era bungalows.
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