Ranchi’s British-era CM house makes way for modern complex

Ranchi, May 12 The historic British-era Chief Minister’s residence on Kanke Road in Ranchi will now be history as construction work for a new state-of-the-art CM House equipped with modern amenities and advanced security features in its place has officially begun.

On the occasion of Buddha Purnima on Monday, Chief Minister Hemant Soren, accompanied by his wife and MLA Kalpana Soren, performed a ceremonial puja and laid the foundation stone for the new building.

Spread across 22 acres, the current CM House has been deemed structurally outdated and administratively inadequate by the state's Building Construction Department, which prompted the development of a new facility.

A fresh design and Detailed Project Report (DPR) have been prepared, factoring in modern requirements, including disaster resilience and administrative efficiency.

Until the new complex is ready, Residence No 5 on Kanke Road has been temporarily designated as the Chief Minister’s office. The bungalow, previously occupied by former AJSU MLA and party chief Sudesh Mahto, has now been vacated for this purpose.

The new CM House will be earthquake-resistant and built in accordance with modern safety and security norms.

It will feature multiple lounges, visitor halls, a dedicated press room, and fully integrated office spaces -- including offices for the Chief Minister, Principal Secretary, and other senior officials.

Additional facilities will include separate accommodation for security personnel, including barracks; guest rooms for special visitors and foreign dignitaries; a dedicated space for high-level meetings and briefings; and modern surveillance and communication systems.

Before Jharkhand became a separate state in November 2000, the building served as the official residence of the Commissioner of the South Chotanagpur Division.

Its construction began in 1853, during the tenure of W.J. Allen, who was then the Principal Agent of the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal.

The building was completed in 1854, and Commissioner J.H. Crawford was its first occupant. In colonial times, it was known as Crawford House.

Over the decades, the residence became steeped in local myths and superstitions. It was widely believed that no occupant of the bungalow -- whether Commissioner or Chief Minister -- could complete a full term. Only Commissioner Elliott Dalton is known to have served more than three years while residing there.

After becoming the official Chief Minister's residence post-2000, the legend of political misfortune continued.

Raghubar Das, who held office from 2014 to 2019, was the only CM to complete a full term while staying in the bungalow.

To counter the building’s ominous reputation, he reportedly made several changes to its Vastu design -- including the construction of a Hanuman temple in the western section and using the western gate for entry and exit throughout his tenure.

However, despite completing his term, Das lost the Assembly election and had to vacate the residence.

Hemant Soren, during his first stint as Chief Minister in 2013, chose not to move into the building.

In his second term, beginning in 2019, he designated his previous official residence adjacent to the old CM House as his home, while continuing to use the British era building for official and administrative work.

With the start of this new construction, Jharkhand is set to witness the rise of a modern Chief Ministerial complex -- symbolically putting the past to rest and setting the stage for a new era of governance.

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