Bhubaneswar: With the BJP expected to announce the name of its Odisha chief minister on Wednesday, the search for an official residence has begun. Currently, Odisha does not have an official CM’s residence, as Naveen Patnaik has been operating from his personal residence, Naveen Niwas, for the past 24 years.
“The general administration department has started the process of identifying a suitable and expansive property for the new chief minister’s residence. Several vacant quarters, including the current CM’s grievance cell, have been shortlisted. Once a selection is made, immediate renovation and installation of necessary facilities will be carried out, though it will take some time,” a senior government official stated.
Historically, former Congress CMs JB Patnaik and Giridhar Gamang resided in a government quarter located between Raj Bhavan and AG Square. This house was later converted into the chief minister’s grievance cell by Naveen Patnaik.
For now, the government plans to prepare a suite in the state guest house for the chief minister’s temporary accommodation until a suitable house is found. “During his tenure as CM (1980-89 and 1995-99), JB Patnaik stayed in the building now used as the CM’s grievance cell. Giridhar Gamang also stayed there during his term in 1999. The quarter has remained unallocated since Naveen took over in 2000,” explained Basanta Kumar Satpathy, a retired government official.
“Many states have exclusive official residences for their CMs. The house where we lived during my father’s tenure was not the official CM’s residence but was renovated during JB Patnaik’s tenure,” noted Shishir Gamang, son of former CM Giridhar Gamang.
Shishir emphasized that the new chief minister’s residence should allow public access, unlike Naveen Niwas. “My father used to meet people at our home, which was accessible to all. In contrast, Naveen Niwas has been off-limits, preventing common people from entering. The new chief minister’s residence should be accessible to the public after proper security checks,” he said.