The building construction department has started demolishing the existing legislators’ flats and quarters at Beer Chand Patel Path more than two years after the cabinet approved the construction of 325 duplex bungalows at an estimated cost of Rs 307.73 crore.

“The work on the demolition of around 100 existing legislators’ quarters has been initiated except for those bungalows belonging to nine legislators, who have filed cases in Patna High Court against their relocation during the construction period. The court has put a stay on the demolition on the bungalows belonging to them. The remaining legislators have vacated the flats and the demolition is likely to be completed by mid-September,” said a senior building construction department official.

The ambitious project envisages development of modern government residential bungalows over an area of 69.85 acres spread in three adjoining locations — R-Block (39.63 acres), Daroga Prasad Rai Path (23.25 acres) and Beer Chand Patel Path (5.97 acres).

In November last year, the department had cancelled the bidding process because of too much delay in getting the existing flats vacated.

“Fresh tenders for the construction work under the project were floated earlier this year. We have received bids from interested firms. Accordingly, the contract for the project is expected to be awarded by the end of this month,” said the official.

The legislators vacating the existing flats are liable to house rent allowance amounting to Rs 22,500 and another Rs 6,000 against payment of electricity and water charges.

The building construction department had submitted Rs 5 crore to the urban development and housing department earlier this year for renovation of dilapidated higher income group (HIG) flats of Bihar State Housing Board at Kankerbagh. The renovated flats are supposed to be allotted to the legislators till the new bungalows are ready.

According to the project report for the Vidhayak Awas project prepared by Patna-based Sen & Lall Consultants Private Limited, the proposed duplex bungalows — each with a floor area of 3,500sqft — would have three bedrooms on the first floor, one office and one public meeting room in the ground floor.

The R-Block colony would have 175 duplex bungalows, that on Daroga Prasad Rai Path would have 128 bungalows and Beer Chand Patel Path colony would have the rest 28 bungalows.