Circuit House suites not ready; VVIPs should wait

HUBLI: VVIPs visiting the city make their own arrangements for an overnight stay, for the Circuit House here can accommodate only one guest at a time. Two of the three suites of the Circuit House, built a year ago, are yet to get ready to welcome the guests.
Because of this, the VVIPs are being forced to halt at private hotels, causing a burden to the exchequer.Chief minister B S Yeddyurappa too stayed in a private hotel during his stopover here. Sources said the CM opted a hotel stay, to make way for BJP national leader Rajnath Singh who was also in the city, the same day.
The lack of proper accommodation for VVIPs in the city had promoted the authorities to add a building with state-of-the-art facilities at the Circuit House. The Circuit House has one suite, a conference hall and a dining hall on the ground floor, and two suites on the first floor. Each suite has a bedroom, visitors' lounge, VIP lounge and a bathroom.
But the new facility is still to be complete as only one suite is ready to occupy. PWD executive engineer M D Gudadappanavar said the delay was due to the non-payment of bills of the contractor who is entrusted with doing up the interiors. He has not been paid for the last five months. Since the cost of the works (Rs 86 lakh) is huge, he has not been able to spend from his pocket.
DC Darpan Jain said it was due to some problems in funds that the works have been delayed. "PWD had sought funds since some additional expenditure was involved," he added.