CM Gupta announces new integrated Delhi govt secretariat

Hindustan Times

02-08-2025

Chief minister Rekha Gupta announced on Friday that Delhi will get a modern and integrated secretariat bringing all departments under one roof, as many government offices are currently housed in dilapidated buildings. Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta sweeps the floor as part of 'Delhi Ko Koode Se Azadi' campaign in New Delhi on August 1. (@gupta_rekha)
Gupta made the announcement while launching the 'Delhi Ko Koode Se Azaadi' campaign from the premises of the department of women and child development at Kashmere Gate in north Delhi, where she expressed displeasure over the office's poor condition and said it deeply distressed her.
'It is shocking how officials entrusted with ensuring good governance in Delhi can work effectively in such deplorable circumstances. The ceilings are leaking, the furniture is broken, there are no proper chairs to sit on, cupboards are damaged, and the fans could fall at any moment,' Gupta said, adding that the building has still not been fully repaired after a fire incident in 2021. 'Are we forcing our officials to work while putting their lives at risk?' she asked.
The chief minister's office did not share details about when and where the new integrated secretariat will be constructed and what use the current office premises will be put to. 'A suitable location will be identified where the new Delhi secretariat can be established, enabling all departments to function under one roof. We cannot leave our officials to work in miserable conditions any longer,' Gupta said.
Gupta and her cabinet colleagues, the chief secretary and several top government officials currently work at the Players' Building popularly known as the Delhi Secretariat. The building does not have the space to accommodate all senior officials of the Delhi government, so many offices such as that of the revenue commissioner, labour commissioner, GST commissioner, education secretary, transport commissioner, excise commissioner, and secretary food and civil supplies, are located in different locations such as Civil Lines and Kashmere Gate.
The Delhi government had planned to build around 35-storey-tall twin towers at ITO in 2022 to consolidate government offices into a single, modern facility. The plans were shelved mainly due to bureaucratic delays, funding issues, and disagreements over project details, officials said. Concerns were also raised about the impact of the project on heritage buildings and the feasibility of demolishing existing structures such as Vikas Bhawan 1, MSO Building, and GST Building. Administrative and political challenges also slowed down approvals and decision-making, delaying the project.
Gupta criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which was in power in Delhi in 2022, for not building a modern building for government offices. 'Those who called themselves an 'educated government' were busy building lavish offices for themselves, but failed to provide even basic facilities essential for the working of our officials. The ones who spent ₹70 crore on their own office couldn't spend even a few crores on these departments,' she said.
In response, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said, 'The chief minister and the BJP should understand that governance is not event management. She should know that Delhi can only be kept clean if MCD hires an adequate number of sanitation workers to clean the city on a daily basis. These month-long drives are merely temporary measures that may clean a road once a year. Sanitation is not an event—it is a continuous responsibility. The city needs to be cleaned every day. One cannot expect a Yamuna ghat to be cleaned once a year and then remain neglected. So, the Delhi Government and the BJP-ruled MCD must focus on serious, sustained governance.'
CM begins cleaning drive with govt offices; slums, ghats next
Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Friday launched a month-long sanitation campaign titled 'Delhi Ko Koode Se Azaadi', aiming to make the national capital clean, green, and free from waste by August 31. Inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flagship sanitation campaign, Gupta's campaign for Delhi seeks to involve multiple agencies and the people to clean the city.
Gupta visited the office of the women and child development department at Kashmere Gate in the morning, where she personally swept the premises, and picked trash to formally launch the drive.
'Cleanliness is not just a habit but a civic duty. Today, the responsibility to make Delhi clean, green, and beautiful lies with all of us. The campaign will give new momentum to the Swachh Bharat Mission and transform cleanliness into a mass movement involving all citizens,' Gupta said, calling on the people of Delhi to join the campaign and make their neighbourhoods clean.
Gupta said the campaign is not limited to public spaces but extends to government offices and workplaces. 'Every MLA, councillor, and government employee in the capital is a responsible partner in this change,' she said.
The campaign will begin with a focus on cleaning government offices, schools, and hospitals during the first two days. Special drives will target unauthorised colonies and slum clusters every weekend, with dedicated cleanliness activities planned at the Yamuna Ghats on August 14, 21, and 28. The Ring Road area will undergo intensive cleaning on August 29 and 31.
MCD has been allocated a budget of ₹5 crore to support the campaign, officials said. To encourage community participation, high-performing Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) will be rewarded with cash prizes — ₹25 lakh for first place, ₹15 lakh for second, and ₹10 lakh for third.
'In this one month, together we will clean every street, every colony, every market, and every public space. We will remove garbage, increase greenery, and make cleanliness a permanent habit,' Gupta said.