New Delhi, July 27
Mr. Rahul Mahajan and late Pramod Mahajan’s family will probably vacate the 7 Safardarjung Luyten’s bungalow on July 3 but former Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Najma Heptullah and a host of other politicians' including BJP leader, Jaswant Singh, won’t vacate their bungalows despite, the fresh eviction notices issued last week.

Ms Heptullah, who has stayed in the Akbar road bungalow for more than 20 years despite a lower entitlement, is fighting tooth and nail to continue staying there. Or take the case of Jaswant Singh who has got two palatial bungalows, ostensibly allotted when he was External Affairs Minister to “entertain foreign dignitaries’’. While, the NDA has been out of power for two years, yet Jaswant Singh is firmly entrenched in his two homes.

A senior official in the Rajya Sabha secretariat says politicians simply refuse to budge, and it is only the fear of the wrath of the Supreme Court that has emboldened the Director of Estates and the secretariat to issue fresh notices.

The notices have created a buzz with affected politicians crying vendetta. Interestingly, all the VIP violators who are normally vociferous and vocal are loathe to comment on the issue.

Ms Heptullah, who received the notice while she was away to the United States, refused to comment when contacted by the Tribune. Though why the authorities chose to ignore the violations in her case for years is also a matter for speculation.

Senior officials reveal that apart from their prime location and impressive size a Luyten’s bungalow is considered the best address in town. the VIP residents have also made impressive additions. For instance in the case of Mahajan, Jacuzzi’s have been added to the bathroom and a huge theatre has been installed.

Says a senior official: “All the changes are meant to be carried out by the CPWD. But, who listens. Now we do not know what to do. All these things have cost a considerable amount of money. Do we pull out the fitting? Or compensate the evictee.”

Take the case of another violator Samajwadi party leader Amar Singh. He has completely demolished the Luyten’s bungalow he was allotted in Lodhi estate and has built a grand palace instead. Yet the CWD watched helplessly while the demolition was on. Under the rules, no structural alterations can be made in these heritage bungalows without the Cabinet’s permission.