3 days ago
Shift to new Central Secretariat buildings likely to start by August
Ending a nearly-100-year stay in the case of North Block and some 60 years for Nirman Bhawan, the Union ministries and departments located in these two complexes are likely to start shifting to the new Common Central Secretariat (CCS) 1,2 and 3 buildings by August, The Indian Express has learnt.
The timeline for the remaining projects is also likely to be 'condensed', with the central government working on tenders for them, it has been learnt.
The other CCS buildings are proposed to come up at the site of Nirman Bhawan, Shastri Bhawan, Krishi Bhawan, Udyog Bhawan and National Museum, which are expected to be demolished to make way for the new complex.
Built as a part of the central government's larger plan to redevelop the Central Vista area — which stretches from India Gate to Rashtrapati Bhavan — the CCS 1,2 and 3 buildings are nearing completion. According to government sources, about 5% of the work is remaining in the new complex, which is located along Kartavya Path, earlier known as Rajpath, on one side, with Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road, Janpath and Man Singh Road on the other. The three buildings would be the first set to be completed out of the proposed 10 CCS buildings that are meant to come up after demolishing existing office buildings along Kartavya Path.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, whose Central Public Works Department is carrying out the Central Vista project, is among the ministries set to move from Nirman Bhawan to the CCS complex. North Block, which houses the Ministry of Home Affairs, Finance Ministry and Department of Personnel and Training, is also set to be emptied to make way for restoration and conversion as a national museum.
Top government sources say the CCS 3 is nearly complete, while the other two buildings will be completed over the next three months. Larsen & Toubro Limited had in October 2021 won the bid for constructing the CCS 1,2 and 3 project with a bid of Rs. 3,141.99 crore — the CPWD's single largest tender.
While the North and South Blocks were completed as a part of the new capital by the colonial British government in 1931, the other government office buildings, Udyog Bhawan, Nirman Bhawan, Shastri Bhawan, Rail Bhawan and Krishi Bhawan were constructed from 1956 to 1968.
According to a government source, the timeline for the remaining Central Vista projects is likely to be 'condensed'. The entire project, which includes the construction of the new Parliament, redevelopment of Kartavya Path, 10 CCS buildings and a conference centre, Vice-President's Enclave, Executive Enclave and PM's residence, was initially proposed in 2019 and was meant to be completed by 2024. However, the project has been hit by delays, with only the Parliament building, VP Enclave and Kartavya Path revamp completed so far.
Work on the Executive Enclave, the CCS 10 (at the site of Raksha Bhawan) and CCS 6 and 7 (site of old VP House and Vigyan Bhawan Annexe) are underway. The CCS 6 and 7 project was recently awarded to L&T by the CPWD, as per a statement by the construction company. The project is the first of the Central Vista works not to be designed by Ahmedabad's HCP Design, Planning and Management, which was the CPWD's consultant for drawing up the masterplan and its buildings so far.
Damini Nath is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. She covers the housing and urban affairs and Election Commission beats. She has 11 years of experience as a reporter and sub-editor. Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she was a reporter with The Hindu's national bureau covering culture, social justice, housing and urban affairs and the Election Commission. ... Read More
