The Delhi government has modified its plan for its proposed new Secretariat complex at ITO, with two separate buildings now planned on either side of the road at the busy intersection, abandoning its earlier proposal for twin towers connected by a skywalk, officials familiar with the development said on Thursday.
Key Statements
The configuration marks a significant departure from the proposal announced earlier this year. The design was compared to Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands, with the towers proposed to be linked by a structure resembling a skywalk.
In July, the government had said it planned two interconnected towers on either side of Indraprastha Marg that would function as a single Secretariat complex.
Political Context
On the southern side of Indraprastha Marg, the existing ITO stands on five acres owned by the Union government. The Delhi government has another five-acre parcel next to it housing various departments. On the northern side, the existing PWD headquarters will be demolished, freeing up around eight acres owned by the Delhi government. The I-Tax Department will shift its operations to this parcel, along with some ancillary Delhi government departments. “We want to develop a world-class secretariat with modern technology, efficient design and high-quality construction. The project is also intended to replace the existing Delhi Secretariat, popularly known as the Players’ Building, on Vikas Marg near ITO.
Under the revised plan, the existing Income Tax Office (ITO) and the Public Works Department (PWD) headquarters will be demolished and replaced with two new structures, with the Income Tax Department shifting across the road and the Delhi government developing its new Secretariat on a larger, 10-acre parcel. These two plots are proposed to be combined to create the 10-acre site to house the new Secretariat. The building was constructed in 1982 to accommodate athletes during the Asian Games and was later converted into the seat of the Delhi government. It covers around 40,970 square metres and houses the offices of the chief minister, ministers and senior bureaucrats. The earlier PWD proposal had envisaged a project costing more than ₹ 2,000 crore, with modern office infrastructure, centralised digital systems, energy-efficient features, upgraded fire-safety systems and multilevel parking.
The redevelopment of the I-T Office has already been approved by the department, officials said. PWD minister Parvesh Verma said the revised arrangement had resolved the key land-related issues and would allow the government to proceed with the project. The arrangement with the IT department has been worked out and the plan for two buildings across the road seems most efficient,” he said. The government had said the complex would serve as a consolidated administrative hub for major Delhi government departments.
