6A Krishna Menon Marg: Amit Shah’s New Home Was Vajpayee’s in 2004

Vajpayee had moved into the Krishna Menon Marg bungalow in 2004, after his government was voted out, and stayed there with his family for nearly 14 years.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is to be allotted late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Krishna Menon Marg residence in central Delhi, government sources said on Thursday, 6 June.

Vajpayee had moved into the Krishna Menon Marg bungalow in 2004, after his government was voted out, and stayed there with his family for nearly 14 years. His family vacated the house last November after his death in August.

"The official bungalow of former prime minister on Krishna Menon Marg has been allotted to Union Home Minister Amit Shah," a government source told PTI.

According to sources, Shah, who is also the BJP president, recently visited the house and suggested some changes, following which renovation work has started.

"The renovation work should be completed in a month or two," another source said.

Shah, who took charge as a Union minister for the first time earlier this week following a landslide victory of the BJP-led NDA, is currently staying at 11 Akbar Road residence.

When Vajpayee Got the House Number Changed

If the number 13 was considered lucky for Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the number 8, it seems, was considered unlucky, After Vajpayee was allotted the residence at 8, Krishna Menon Marg, it was officially changed to 6A, Krishna Menon Marg.

The PMO in 2004 had requested the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) to change the number of Vajpayee’s new house. Officials had said it was being done as people close to Vajpayee believed the house with number ‘8’ was jinxed.

The former prime minister moved to his new address in July after the renovation work was finished.

The CPWD had constructed ramps at the Krishna Menon Marg bungalow after suggestions from Vajpayee's family, keeping in mind his knee problem. Even the toilets were specially designed.

Earlier Occupants

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)'s late Murasoli Maran was the house's earlier occupant. The house had remained vacant after his death in November 2003, and, it is believed, this was the reason behind the number change before Vajpayee moving in.

The house, then called 8, Krishna Menon Marg, is adjacent to 6, Krishna Menon Marg, which has the Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial.

Manmohan Singh Was Here Too

In what seems a quirk of fate, Dr Manmohan Singh had also lived at 8, Krishna Menon Marg when he was the finance minister in the PV Narasimha Rao-led Congress government between 1991 and 1996.

After the Modi government came to power in 2014, it was decided that no government bungalow previously occupied by a leader in Delhi would be converted into any memorial after their deaths.

The government has already built memorial for Vajpayee, 'Sadaiv Atal', near the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, a place designated for last rites of presidents, vice presidents and prime ministers.

(With inputs from PTI)