{
  "id": 2748478,
  "title": "₹92 crore in a year: Upkeep bill of Union ministers’ bungalows in Lutyens' Delhi hits record high, says report",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/92-crore-in-a-year-upkeep-bill-of-union-ministers-bungalows-in",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-23T08:11:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Live Mint",
    "slug": "live-mint",
    "url": "https://www.livemint.com/news/india/rs-92-crore-in-a-year-repair-bill-for-union-ministers-bungalows-in-lutyens-delhi-hits-record-high-amit-shah-central-11787471899076.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The annual upkeep bill for the residences of Union ministers in the Lutyens' Bungalow Zone (LBZ) of New Delhi reached a record high of ₹92.35 crore in the fiscal year 2025-26, according to a report obtained through a Right to Information (RTI) query. This represents a staggering increase of more than three times the ₹27.47 crore spent in 2014-15. The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) is responsible for the repair, renovation, and maintenance of these iconic structures, with a total expenditure of ₹547.68 crore during the 11-year period from 2014-15 to 2025-26. Factors contributing to the surge in costs include inflation and the wear and tear of aging buildings, as well as issues such as seepage, termite infestation, and outdated electrical systems. Some of the 80-90-100-year-old bungalows are structurally unsafe and require upgrades. The Lutyens' Bungalow Zone, named after British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, consists of spacious colonial-era residences spanning roughly 2,800 hectares, designed during the British Raj and later adapted for use by senior government officials post-independence. These bungalows, occupied by ministers, MPs, senior judges, and top military officers, were initially designed by architects under the British administration and reflect a pattern seen in residences for colonial-era officials across India.",
  "summary": "The government spent ₹547.68 crore on the upkeep of these iconic Lutyens bungalows in the national capital, between 2014-15 and 2025-26 through the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), which executes the repairs, renovation and maintenance works.",
  "key_points": [
    "₹92.35 crore is three times the ₹27.47 crore spent in 2014-15.",
    "CPWD responsible for repair, renovation, and maintenance of these iconic structures."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}