Security Tightened At Odisha CM-Designate Quarters Amid Search For New Official Residence

Bhubaneswar: Security has been beefed up at the official residence of Odisha CM-designate Mohan Majhi at Unit 2 in Bhubaneswar. 

According to sources, he will be functioning from this quarters, which will be renovated and refurbished as a temporary measure, before he moves into the permanent official residence. And this transition will take some time since there is no official residence for Odisha CM at present as Naveen Patnaik operated from his own residence – Naveen Niwas – for the last 24 years. After being sworn-in as chief minister in 2000, Naveen opted to stay at his own residence and operate from there instead of moving into a government-allotted house.

The quarters with a two-storeyed building situated between AG Square and Raj Bhawan Square in which two former CMs – JB Patnaik and Giridhar Gamang – resided was used for hearing grievances during the period. Biju Patnaik also operated from a quarter in front of the Forest Park as the CM from 1990 to 1995, but stayed in Naveen Nivas.

Since the results were declared, the General Administration department stepped up efforts to locate a suitable official residence for the next CM. A senior government official said that several vacant quarters, including the current Chief Minister’s Grievance Cell, have been shortlisted for consideration.

Once a quarter is selected, it will undergo necessary renovations and installation of facilities before it is ready for occupation. The quarters where JB and Gamang resided reportedly has all the facilities for the official residence of the CM. Besides the main building, there are two other buildings in the compound. One of the buildings was used for grievance hearing by both JB and Gamang while another building functioned as the CMO.

What the department is waiting for is a nod from Majhi, who will be sworn-in as the CM of the first BJP government in Odisha.