Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari finalises official residence at Alipore’s ‘Soujanya’ building

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has finalised his official residence in Kolkata following his swearing-in as the state’s first BJP Chief Minister. The government guest house “Soujanya,” located on Judges Court Road in Alipore, has been selected as his new official residence. Administrative preparations regarding the Chief Minister’s accommodation began immediately after he assumed office on May 9.

Although Suvendu Adhikari already owns a flat in Kolkata’s Chinar Park area, sources said the security requirements and administrative responsibilities attached to the office of Chief Minister necessitated a larger and more secure premises. After reviewing multiple options over the past few days, authorities finalised the Alipore property as the most suitable location for the Chief Minister’s official residence and related administrative activities.

The “Soujanya” building was constructed during the previous Trinamool Congress government to host VVIP guests and foreign dignitaries visiting the state. The property was inaugurated in 2018 by then Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Following the decision to designate the building as the new Chief Minister’s residence, security arrangements around the premises have reportedly been significantly strengthened, with additional police personnel and special security units deployed in the area.

According to sources, senior Public Works Department officials recently held an emergency meeting regarding the transition process. Instructions were reportedly issued to complete interior modifications, office arrangements, and other logistical changes required for the functioning of the Chief Minister’s office from the premises. The administrative transition from the accommodation previously used by Suvendu Adhikari during his tenure as Leader of the Opposition is expected to be completed shortly.

The decision marks a shift in the official residential centre of power in West Bengal from Kalighat, where former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee resided, to the high-security administrative district of Alipore in South Kolkata. Sources indicated that if preparations proceed according to schedule, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari is expected to move into the new residence within the next few days.