Raj Bhavan: Hi-tech in cooking

Ranchi, Nov. 5: First lady Chand Farhana cooks often. The sevaiyian that the Raj Bhavan employees relished this Id was prepared by her.

Cooking in the old kitchen might not be as enjoying as Governor Syed Sibtey Razi’s wife deserves. But that is set to change with the Raj Bhavan getting a modular kitchen.

Designed with drawers and cupboards, everything can be concealed in a modular kitchen. Slots for foodgrain, vegetables, gadgets like microwave oven, utensils and crockeries keep them out of sight but easy to reach.

A modular kitchen also has standardised units for the floors and walls, deep units to accommodate electrical appliances and gas trolleys, and a wide choice of accessories in the form of wire baskets, carousels, adjustable shelves and drawers.

Following a requisition from Raj Bhavan, the state government has started the process of converting the old kitchen into a modular one. The makeover would cost Rs 25 lakh. The estimate was arrived at with the rates provided by a Calcutta-based supplier of pre-fabricated drawers.

The pre-fabricated readymade drawers will cost about Rs 12 lakh and the remaining expenses will be incurred while replacing the cement floors with vitrified tiles and fresh distemper in the kitchen, pantry and the store. The kitchen will also have a platform, or a worktop, for cooking and it will be made of granite.

Building construction department officials said that now work will be done to increase the size of the kitchen or to change the gadgets, utensils in use there.

The renovation will take about three months, they added.

Building construction secretary D.K. Tiwari said the engineering wing had forwarded for administrative approval a proposal to convert Raj Bhavan’s kitchen into a modular one. The proposal was returned as the department’s approval is required only for construction.

The changes in the Raj Bhavan fall under the maintenance and repair head and the chief engineer is competent to give approval, he said.

The Raj Bhavan here is one of the most well maintained governor’s residence in the country. The kitchen was a sore thumb, a Raj Bhavan employee said.