Former President Ram Nath Kovind shifts to 12 Janpath

New Delhi, July 25

Former President Ram Nath Kovind, whose term in office expired on Sunday, shifted into his new residence 12 Janpath today. He was allotted 12 Janpath as retirement home in June this year after the Urban Affairs Ministry completed the eviction process of the bungalow occupied previously by the family of late Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan.

The house is in the neighbourhood of Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s 10 Janpath residence.

Former President Kovind and wife Savita Kovind moved into the new house today after the ceremonial welcome of the 15th President Droupadi Murmu and farewell of Kovind by a distinguished gathering led by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attended by top bureaucrats and three service chiefs.

It was in August 2021 that 12 Janpath was first allotted to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who could not move in because Jamui MP and late Ram Vilas Paswan’s son Chirag Paswan had not vacated the house. Vaishnaw later moved into 32 Prithviraj Road pending eviction of 12 Janpath.

After the Delhi High Court dismissed Paswan family’s petition for more time to vacate the premises in March this year, the Directorate of Estate under the Urban Affairs Ministry began eviction proceedings against Chirag, who vacated 12 Janpath on March 30. The place had been the late Ram Vilas Paswan’s residence for nearly three decades. The President’s income was Rs 5 lakh a month, so his pension would be Rs 2.5 lakh a month. Among other perks, he is entitled to a free house, free travel and secretarial staff.