A Bungalow Worth ₹1,100 Crore: India’s Memory on Sale

The Setting

New Delhi’s 17 Motilal Nehru Marg, once called 17 York Road, is no ordinary piece of land. Spread across 3.7 acres with a built-up of around 24,000 sq ft, it sits right in the heart of the Lutyens’ Bungalow Zone—that rare stretch of the capital where rules keep skyscrapers out and power firmly in. Across the road is Taj Mansingh, down the lane Parliament, Rashtrapati Bhavan, embassies, and the Supreme Court. In real estate, it’s less “address” and more “status code.”

Who Built It—and Why

This wasn’t a dream home designed by an eccentric architect. It was part of the grand colonial blueprint (1912–1930) when the British built New Delhi to show off imperial might. Lutyens and his team planned the avenues, roundabouts, and sprawling government bungalows meant for senior officials. After 1947, those same colonial shells became the seats of India’s new power.

Who Lived Here

This house’s claim to fame is one man: Jawaharlal Nehru. From September 1946—when he became head of the Interim Government—till August 1948, Nehru lived and worked here. Letters, cabinet meetings, and decisions that birthed independent India were taken inside these walls. When the Prime Minister finally shifted to Teen Murti House, 17 York Road had already written itself into the country’s political DNA.

Ownership Trail

Post-Independence, the bungalow cycled through the usual LBZ pattern—private hands, official tenants, occasional leases. The current sellers are Raj Kumari Kacker and Bina Rani, descendants of a Rajasthani royal family. The bungalow has been vacant, waiting for its next chapter.

The Buyer Who Wrote the Cheque

The deal—pegged at ₹1,100 crore—is reportedly being sealed by an Indian beverage tycoon. The original ask was ₹1,400 crore, but even at the revised price, it is set to become India’s costliest residential transaction. The buyer’s name is not public yet, but the money is loud enough: you don’t just buy walls and lawns here; you buy bragging rights over history.

Why It Matters

This isn’t about square footage. It’s about how India treats its past. A bungalow where Nehru steered a newborn nation is now destined to become someone’s private residence. On one hand, private ownership often preserves heritage better than the state’s crumbling museums. On the other, a home that once housed the country’s first Prime Minister is about to disappear behind tall gates, accessible only to one wealthy family.

The Paradox of Lutyens’ Delhi

• Scarcity: Only a few hundred bungalows exist in LBZ. Regulations stop redevelopment. Rarity breeds astronomical prices.
• Power: Living here is less about comfort, more about announcing you’ve arrived at India’s ultimate postcode.
• Heritage: Nehru lived here, but history isn’t part of the sale deed. Unless the state steps in, it’s nostalgia traded like stock.

Timeline Snapshot

• 1912–1930: Bungalow constructed as part of Lutyens’ Delhi.
• Sep 1946 – Aug 1948: Nehru resides and governs from here.
• 1948 onward: Becomes privately owned, occasionally rented.
• 2025: Sold by descendants of a Rajasthani royal family to a beverage magnate for ₹1,100 crore.

Final Thought

India’s freedom was debated in this house. Today, its walls are worth more than any policy paper written inside them. When the story of modern India is sold like prime real estate, it forces a question: Do we want our memories to live in museums, or in mansions?

Because right now, our past is becoming someone else’s backyard.

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