Five months after the fire at the Mantralaya gutted three whole floors at the secretariat building, the repairs and renovation work is likely to begin soon. The good news was possible after the high power committee headed by the Chief Secretary was able to successfully negotiate the cost to Rs 138 crore.

According to a senior official, Unity Infraprojects agreed to the said amount after the government and the company had reached a deadlock in November over the cost (‘Mantralaya makeover now faces cost hurdle’, November 2).