The first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, stayed at Teen Murti Bhavan, which was earlier allotted to the commander-in-chief of the British Indian army. The magnificent bungalow with its huge lawns was designed by British architect Robert Tor Russell, who also designed Connaught Place, Delhi. Nehru lived in Teen Murti Bhavan for 17 years until his death. It was then converted into a Nehru memorial, which also houses the Teen Murti Library. Prime Minister Narendra Modi built a new museum dedicated to all prime ministers in the same complex and the building is in the process of being re-designated as Pradhanmantri Sanghralaya.
Prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri occupied 10 Janpath, which was latter allotted to the Congress and is currently occupied by Sonia Gandhi. A part of the house has been converted into a Shastri museum with the address 1 Motilal Nehru Road.
Prime minister Indira Gandhi occupied 1 Safdarjung Road, where she was gunned down by her bodyguards while in office. The house has also been converted into a memorial.
After Indira's assassination, five bungalows on Race Course Road were converted into a complex to create the current official prime minister's residence. Prime minister Rajiv Gandhi became the first occupant and all subsequent prime ministers have stayed there. Unlike the imperial Rashtrapati Bhavan, which has been made accessible to the public, the prime minister's residence has remained out of bounds. At the Rashtrapati Bhavan, each occupant has left a mark by adding or modifying features. At the prime minister's residence, Modi has made a significant change―7 Race Course Road became 7 Lok Kalyan Marg.
The incumbent has also decided to build a new residence. The modern, yet to be named complex will be connected to the secretariat and the prime minister's office through a tunnel. It is likely to be completed by 2024. For now, 7 Lok Kalyan Marg continues to be the official residence.