Former union minister Ajit Singh reacts angrily when his water and electricity was disconnected at his 12 Tughlak Road Residence. (Source: Renuka Puri) Former union minister Ajit Singh reacts angrily when his water and electricity was disconnected at his 12 Tughlak Road Residence. (Source: Renuka Puri)

With several former MPs and former ministers continuing to occupy government bungalows and flats in Lutyens’s Delhi despite reminders to vacate them, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has started taking drastic measures like disconnecting power and water connections to the houses. These include the houses occupied by former ministers Ajit Singh and A K Antony.

On Saturday, NDMC officials cut off power connection to the bungalow occupied by Ajit Singh. Shortly after the action at his 12, Tughlaq Road residence, the RLD chief told reporters he was not given more time which he had sought to vacate the property.

“I am not entitled to this house anymore since I am not an MP. They came on September 9 and asked me to vacate. I told them I am packing and that I will move by September 25. You should ask them why they have cut electricity,” Singh told reporters.

So far, the NDMC has taken action against at least 20 former MPs.

Sources in the NDMC said the decision was taken since ministers of the Narendra Modi government were still working out of their respective state guesthouses in the absence of official accommodation. The NDMC plans to disconnect power and water supplies to more houses in the next 24 hours, officials said.

According to the NDMC, a total of 30 bungalows need to be vacated at the earliest to accommodate new MPs and other government officials.

The list of houses to be vacated includes those occupied by Ajit Singh, former defence minister Antony and Mohd Azharuddin.

Last week, supporters of Ajit Singh had stood their ground against a team from the NDMC and Delhi Police at the Tughlaq Road residence when the latter came to take possession of the house.

Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday reviewed the allotment of bungalows to cabinet ministers still staying the state guesthouses. NDMC Chairman Jalaj Srivastava said the council is going to comply with the UD Ministry orders and vacate at least 30 government residences currently occupied by former MPs. “Power supply to more bunglows is likely to be cut,” he said. He also said that the MPs did not vacate the bungalows despite being served due notice as elections approached in May.

“An action-taken report in this regard was submitted to the Lok Sabha Housing Committee yesterday,” a senior official said.

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