BJP,Cong councillors fight for cabins at Civic Centre

The circular by the Director (Local Bodies) states that first floor and second floor will have offices of the Standing Committee,Special and Ad hoc Committees of the South and the North corporations. The third floor will have offices of the Mayor,Deputy Mayor,Leader of the House and Leader of the Opposition of both corporations

Flouting this order,Leader of the House of (North) Mahendra Nagpal has his cabin on the second floor. “His cabin is too small. It can’t even accommodate all councillors for meetings. He is also likely to get his cabin extended by attaching an additional room,” said a BJP councillor.

Leader of the House of the South Corporation Subash Arya is seated in an extended cabin on the third floor,which,reportedly,has been formed by merging nearly three cabins. His cabin has a separate retiring room with a bed,sources said.

“Arya had the same cabin when there was a monolithic municipal corporation. But now that both South and North corporations are sharing space,there ought to be equal distribution of space. He does not want to adhere to the orders because this will shrink his office space,” said a Congress councillor.

Justifying not adhering to orders of the circular,Arya said it was the prerogative of the Mayor to decide and approve which councillor sits where.

South Mayor Savita Gupta’s cabin is adjacent to Arya’s,but much smaller. Sources said she is also eying a bigger room on the first floor. The first floor has cabins of Leader of the Opposition of (South) Farhad Suri and Leader of the Opposition (North) Mukesh Goel. At present,orders have been issued to shift Goel to the second floor.

“The BJP claims that by shifting Mukesh Goel they are following merely following orders. They can’t implement the order selectively. As per the circular,even though it is a smaller cabin,I will also shift to the third floor,” said Suri.

Meanwhile,to sort out the confusion,Mayor Savita Gupta has formed a core committee. “The committee constituting Commissioner,Mayor,Leaders of the House and the Opposition will meet to resolve the issue,” she said.