Nagpur: Do you replace the teakwood furniture in your house every few years? Or discard carpets, curtains and sofa sets while they are still usable?




The state public works department (PWD) appears ready for an extensive makeover at Lok Bhavan in Nagpur, with 10 contracts worth an estimated Rs3.35 crore covering replacement of furniture and furnishings in VIP suites , the governor’s office, dining area and lounge.




A tender published by state PWD division 1 lists separate works for replacing curtains, beds, sofa sets, carpets, runners, wooden tables and other furnishings at the governor’s official residence .




The proposed expenditure raises questions about the age and condition of the existing materials, the frequency of such replacements, and whether an inventory-based assessment was conducted before the estimates were prepared.




The most striking overlap appears in two pairs of proposed works. Work number three, estimated at Rs35 lakh, covers replacement of curtains, beds, sofa sets, curtain rods, brackets, carpets and miscellaneous items in VIP Suites numbers 2 and 3 used by the governor’s family members. Work number five, worth Rs40 lakh, separately proposes replacing runners, carpets and wooden tables in the same suites.




A similar pattern appears in VIP Suites numbers 4 and 5. Work number 6, estimated at Rs45 lakh, includes curtains, beds, sofa sets, carpets and allied work, while work number 7, worth Rs40 lakh, separately covers runners, carpets and wooden tables.




Together, these four contracts account for Rs1.60 crore. While the separate estimates may cover distinct materials or quantities, the overlapping descriptions warrant clarification on whether carpets and floor coverings have been counted twice.




Other proposals include Rs35 lakh for dining-area furniture and furnishings, Rs40 lakh for sofa sets, curtains and tables in the VVIP lounge, and Rs50 lakh for curtains, beds, sofa sets and allied work in VIP Suite number 1.




The Rs3.35 crore proposal is an estimated outlay, not the final amount spent. Tender awards, bills and completion records will be needed to establish the actual cost of the proposed makeover.




A senior official from the state PWD justified the expenditure, stating that the premises are big and that this happens every five years. The official further claimed that they do not carry out the same work every year. He, however, could not clarify whether the furniture was in bad shape and needed to be replaced.