Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Verma has called for a detailed project plan for the use of the now-defunct Rajghat thermal power plant that sits on prime land in central Delhi. Verma issued the order after a meeting with officials from his department, Delhi Develo-pment Authority, and the power department.
“A meeting was held regarding the current status of the land for the Rajghat Power Plant and its future utilisation. Instructions were given to prepare the future action plan, and the land available at the site,” an official said. The Delhi Government had proposed using the land for constructing a new Delhi Secretariat, citing the site’s strategic location and proximity to the existing Secretariat at the Player’s Building near the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. The Rajghat plant, which was shut down in 2015 due to environmental concerns, spans a 45-acre plot of land owned by the DDA, with an extra 33 acres available. But, its usage remains unclear. “No site has been finalised yet for construction of the new Secretariat; the proposal is at the planning stage,” a PWD official said. The need for a new Secretariat arises from the limited space in the current building, which houses the chief minister, cabinet ministers, and top bureaucrats, even as several departments are currently scattered across the city.
Last year, the DDA proposed converting the unused power plant into an entertainment hub featuring water parks, gaming zones, and a museum showcasing the operation of a thermal power plant, a night movie theatre, and 3D shows.
A tender to hire a consultant to prepare a detailed project report for the entertainment centre was floated in March 2025, and the evaluation process is on, officials said.
Under the DDA’s “Multipurpose recreational and Commercial” centre plan, the project would be executed in a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode, and the land use for the project would have to be changed.
While the DDA appears to be moving forward, the final decision may depend on coordination between the central agencies and the Delhi Government.
Rajghat Power House was installed in 1951 with a 5MW capacity. In the second five-year plan, three diesel generating sets, totalling 20MW, were installed at different locations in Delhi, including a 15MW unit at Rajghat in 1966.
It was in 1989 that two units of the thermal power plant with a capacity of 135MW each were commissioned for 25 years. In 2014, the two plants, having outlived their shelf life, were shut down as a demand from various agencies and forums to do away with the polluting units started pouring in.In 2011-12, when the plant was still running, there was a proposal by Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation to change the land use of the Rajghat and Indraprastha power plants from industrial to commercial, including them in the ambitious ITO redevelopment project. The then Congress govt, however, shelved the proposal and decided to construct gas-based power plants at both Indraprastha Extension and Rajghat. In 2017, Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation proposed an “energy museum” at the location.