State owns Travancore House, no move to sell it: government

Reports that prime property in Delhi was about to be sold to a Chennai-based firm

The Kerala government has said that the Travancore House in New Delhi is fully under its ownership and possession and no decision has been taken to put it up for sale.

The government was responding to reports in a section of the media that the prime property on Kasturba Gandhi Marg, worth crores, was about to be sold to a Chennai-based firm.

In an official statement on Thursday, the General Administration department termed the reports baseless.

The government had not considered such a step. Nor had the government entrusted any individual or institution with taking steps in this direction, it said.

According to media reports, persons with links to the royal family of the erstwhile Travancore had entered into a deal with the Chennai-based firm for selling the property.

However, the Kowdiar Palace in Thiruvananthapuram indicated that it had no connection with the reported deal.

Meanwhile, the General Administration department said steps were being taken to establish a cultural centre at the Travancore House highlighting the rich cultural traditions of Kerala.