The day here starts at 9 am sharp, unlike in other offices in North and South Block. Insiders proudly say they work seven days a week. For this is where Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee operates from. Unlike other North Block offices, the Prime Minister's Office is heavily guarded. Even mobile phones have to be left at the entrance.
Every visitor has to pass through numerous checkpoints and is frisked repeatedly.
Once inside, one is watched constantly. Jawaharlal Nehru dealt with files directly, with the help of two personal assistants. Lal Bahadur Shastri only had L K Jha, his secretary, to fall back on. Indira Gandhi, though, replaced the brilliant Jha with the politically savvy strategist, P N Haksar. During her reign, and that of her son Rajiv, the PMO got a personality.