The renovated Malda circuit house. Picture by Surajit Roy

Malda, Nov. 14: The Malda district administration has spent lakhs of rupees to renovate and spruce up the 150-year-old circuit house for chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who will be arriving in the town soon.

While Bhattacharjee will reach here tomorrow, Singh’s visit is scheduled for December 5.

The outer facade of the structure has been kept in tact as the circuit house had been declared as a “heritage building.”

Bedrooms meant for the VVIPs are now swanky with expensive sofa sets, refrigerators, carpets, music systems and television sets.

Official sources said the sofa set alone had cost the government exchequer Rs 55,000. Music systems have been placed in the dining hall as well as in the garden outside.

Different handicrafts available in the district have also got place in the showcase in the dining hall and the bedrooms. Besides, there are paintings on the walls and carpets on the floor. The garden has been illuminated also.

Officials said the plan to renovate and decorate the circuit house had been charted by former district magistrate Chittaranjan Das.

He left Malda on October 31 to join as joint secretary of the food department.

Das told The Telegraph over phone from Calcutta that the circuit house had a heritage value and such old buildings needed a thorough renovation.

“I took the initiative to spruce up the building the day I came to know that the Prime Minister and the chief minister were coming to the district,” Das said. “I feel proud that both the Prime Minister and the chief minister would step into the renovated circuit house,” he said.

The security in and around the circuit house has been heightened in view of the Maoist attack on the chief minister’s convoy in Salboni. The officers of the special security force have been posted at the circuit house.

Other than Bhattacharjee, a number of other ministers will also be staying in the circuit house tomorrow night and they all have been allotted separate VVIP rooms.

“The CM does not prefer spicy food. Special cooks have been brought from outside to prepare food for Bhattacharjee. Before the food is served to the chief minister, it will be tasted by the security personnel,” a senior official looking after the arrangement said.

One company of police has been posted at Malda railway station, Malda College ground and various other places where the chief minister will visit or pass through.