Govt plans global tender for secretariat building project

The Delhi Government plans to issue a global tender in its ambitious plan to construct the new ‘twin-towers’ Secretariat building at ITO, a plan that will see two major buildings functioning as a unified administrative hub built on 17.5 acres of land, divided by a major road.

Conceived several years ago, the twin-tower project is moving to its preliminary stage as the government plans to bring all its departments at one location that are currently scattered across the city.

"ITO has emerged as the most feasible location after discussions. Especially with cooperation from the Income Tax department now, we have availability of a bigger plot to come up with development of the twin-towers project for which we will float a global tender," Parvesh Sahib Singh, PWD minister, said.

A global tender will be floated to carry out the work, where major construction companies from across the world, can participate, bring in their technology and expertise, he added.

"The Income Tax department’s Ayakar Bhawan located at ITO is an old building. The department has expressed its agreement to share its 4.5-acre land for the proposed twin-tower project in return of 10 lakh square feet built up area in the new buildings to shift its office," a senior official said.

Several models are proposed for the twin-tower project. Earlier, six locations were shortlisted out of which the ITO location emerged as the most feasible due to possibility of easy land availability.

"The Delhi government has 13 acres of land available in the form of PWD building and Vikas Bhawan at ITO. The Vikas Bhawan and PWD building lie across the Vikas Marg. If the plan moves in the right direction and the 4.5-acre land of the IT department is made available, the twin-towers may come up at ITO, linked through a skywalk," Singh added.

With several of its offices scattered around and limited space available at the Players Building near Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, where the chief minister, her cabinet colleagues and top bureaucrats currently operate, the Delhi Government has decided to build a new Delhi Secretariat at Indraprastha Estate, where the MSO building and Vikas Bhawan, north and south of Vikas Marg, would be connected by a skywalk.

The new secretariat building will be a high-rise comprising 30 to 35 storeys, having offices of CM, ministers, bureaucrats and staffs.

It will also be a green building with facilities for parking, seminar room, conference room with each of the above offices and other facilities.