The iconic buildings of Shastri Bhawan and Krishi Bhawan in Delhi , housing several Central government complexes, have been asked to be vacated by September 30 so that they can be demolished to make way for the construction of new Kartavya Bhawan 4 and 5 offices.
Named after India’s second Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, Shastri Bhawan served as the headquarters for ministries as diverse as information and broadcasting, petroleum and natural gas, corporate affairs, coal, education, law and justice, sports and youth affairs, tribal affairs and women and child development, among others. Vacation of the complexes by September 30 is essential to facilitate timely handing over of the site to the executing agency and enable commencement of the construction work as scheduled, according to a September 16 letter by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD). The estimated cost of the Kartavya Bhawan 4 and 5 projects is about ₹3,100 crore, according to the CPWD tender documents and the construction is likely to be completed in two years.
Though most ministries have shifted, there are still many officials operating out of Krishi Bhawan, as the space for relocation has not yet been allotted to them, sources said.
The Central Vista master plan envisages replacing several existing government office buildings with new secretariat facilities. Shastri Bhawan and Krishi Bhawan are among the existing office complexes identified for redevelopment. They are now set to make way for the next phase of the Central Secretariat redevelopment. “There has been some optimisation in the planning.
Earlier reporting noted: Shastri Bhawan, Krishi Bhawan asked to vacate by Sept end for new Kartavya Bhawan The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has asked government departments to vacate and hand over the Shastri Bhawan and Krishi Bhawan premises by the end of September, paving the way for construction of Kartavya Bhawan (KB) 4 and 5 in central Delhi.
Earlier reporting noted: An official said the revised estimate was the result of a “slight modification” in the design. Certain areas that were earlier kept as open or common spaces have been converted into usable office space, which has led to a marginal increase in the built-up area and associated costs,” the official said.
Earlier reporting noted: The two buildings, constructed during the post-Independence expansion of the Central Secretariat in the 1950s and 1960s, were built to accommodate the Union government’s expanding administrative machinery beyond the original North and South Blocks.
