While austerity is the current fad, the government had splurged nearly Rs 100 crore in the last five years on renovation and maintenance of the sprawling bungalows of ministers and MPs in the fashionable Lutyen’s zone.

In reply to an RTI query filed by a resident of Mumbai, Chetan Kothari, it was revealed by the government that in the last five years an expenditure of Rs 93.53 crore had been incurred towards the upkeep of bungalows let out to Members of Parliament and ministers.

"An amount of Rs 93.50 crore has been spent towards upgradation, ordinary repair and superior repair of these bungalows by the office of the CPWD responsible for the upkeeping of MP bungalows," said the reply by the Deputy Director, Department of Estates under the Urban Development Ministry, J P Rath. "MPs are provided free accommodation throughout the term of office. However, a normal licence fee of Rs 105 is charged on a bungalow," it said.

"Visit these bungalows, and you will see construction work every now and then. They have engineered wood flooring, wall panelling and veneering, gypsum board and false ceiling, glazed shutters for doors, windows and glazed partitions, polished porcelain tiles in toilet and wall. All expensive ones," Kothari said.

Some of the occupants of the bungalows include Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in Talkatora Road, Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Minister Sharad Pawar at Janpath, Defence Minister A K Antony at K M Marg, Home Minister P Chidambaram at Safdarjung Road and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee at B K S Marg.

Housing the new MPs has become a daunting task for the government with many former lawmakers refusing to vacate bungalows and several newly elected representatives unwilling to accept the offered accommodation.

At least 100 new Lok Sabha members have asked for a change of the type of house allotted to them, while 36 others are awaiting the present occupants, former MPs, to move out.