Rekha Gupta Unveils Restored Mughal-Era 'Sheeshmahal', Takes Swipe At AAP

The 'Sheeshmahal' - a name given to former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's official residence is back in the limelight after incumbent Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, from the BJP, took a swipe at the Aam Aadmi Party at an event and alleged that the former government built 'Sheeshmahal' for pleasure from the hard-earned money of the people of Delhi.

Ms Gupta was speaking at an event organised by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), and unveiled the 'Sheesh Mahal' in Shalimar Bagh, a structure from the Mughal era, restored by the DDA. The Chief Minister took a swipe at the AAP and said, " The former Chief Minister built a Sheesh Mahal for his pleasure from the hard-earned money of the people of Delhi. This Sheesh Mahal, on the other hand, has been dedicated to the public for their convenience." 

"This is the difference between the previous governments and the current government... We must return the previous Sheesh Mahal to its origin. The money taken from the public treasury should be returned," she added.

In March, when Ms Gupta presented Delhi's budget, she fired jabs at the AAP and alleged that Mr Kejriwal's party misused Rs 45 crore of taxpayers' money to refurbish his former residence. These allegations went a long way toward ensuring the victory of Bharatiya Janata Party in the election.

BJP alleged that AAP spent Rs 45 crore to renovate Mr Kerjiwal's official bungalow

The 'sheeshmahal' controversy was widely seen as a key reason for the AAP's defeat in this year's election, with the BJP hammering Mr Kejriwal and his party over the alleged corruption.

Meanwhile, Ms Gupta's official residence - Bungalow Number 1, Raj Niwas Marg - will also undergo a renovation that would cost Rs 59.40 lakh to fix electrical and civil work, and will involve the installation of 14 split air conditioners worth Rs 7.7 lakh, five LED TVs worth Rs 9.9 lakh, and 23 ceiling fans with a remote control costing Rs 1.8 lakh.

Fourteen CCTV cameras worth Rs 5.74 lakh will be installed, and the residence will also have a UPS system for power backup. Other appliances include six geysers for Rs 91,000, one automatic washing machine for Rs 77,000, a toast grill for Rs 85,000, and one dishwasher for Rs 60,000.

Sheesh Mahal Of Shalimar Bagh

Ms Gupta, along with Lt Governor of Delhi, Vinai Kumar Saxena, Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and Member of Parliament Praveen Khandelwal, today inaugurated the restored Sheesh Mahal at Shalimar Bagh, a Mughal-era structure originally built by Emperor Shah Jahan. The restoration is part of a larger initiative led by the DDA to revive neglected heritage sites across the capital, under the PM's vision of "Vikas bhi, Virasat bhi".

The Sheeshmahal in Shalimar Bagh is a Mughal-era structure built by Emperor Shah Jahan

The Union minister also slammed the previous AAP government while speaking at the unveiling ceremony.

"When this restoration project was first taken up by LG Saxena, there was a repulsive government in Delhi. Now, there is a double-engine force multiplying government in Delhi," the minister said.

According to the officials, the initiative was taken by Mr Saxena, and DDA restored the structure with the technical supervision of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). 

Shalimar Bagh, built in 1653, has seen many phases of history, from the Mughal period to British rule.

The authority has also restored an almost decayed 'baradari' and three heritage cottages within the Shalimar Bagh; two of the cottages have been adaptively re-used for community-focused purposes.

The Readers Cafe Corner and Cafe Shalimar, a cafeteria for park visitors, now occupy these restored spaces