In a significant breakthrough for the Delhi government, a long-standing obstacle to constructing a new, unified state secretariat has been resolved. The Income Tax department has formally agreed to share its prime 4.5-acre land parcel at the ITO area, paving the way for the ambitious project to proceed.
A Consolidated Hub for Delhi's Governance
This agreement is the key to the government's vision of creating an integrated complex that will house all major departments under one roof. Currently, the offices of the Chief Minister, cabinet ministers, the Chief Secretary, and senior officials are spread across multiple locations, including Civil Lines, ITO, and Connaught Place. The consolidation aims to improve administrative efficiency and coordination.
The newly available plot is adjacent to an existing 6.5-acre property owned by the Public Works Department (PWD). Together, they will provide the government with a consolidated 18-acre area to plan a much larger and more functional complex. Officials stated that this substantial space offers significant scope for innovative design and sustainable infrastructure development.
From Asian Games Hotel to Makeshift Secretariat
The current state secretariat operates from the Players' Building, a structure with an interesting history. It was originally planned as a hotel for athletes participating in the 1982 Asian Games but was not completed in time. After lying vacant for several years, it was repurposed into the secretariat in 1997. The government has desired a purpose-built, unified complex for a long time, but non-contiguous land holdings had stalled the plan until now.
PWD Minister Parvesh Verma expressed optimism about the project's revival. "We had several options in mind, but this has emerged as the most feasible location," Verma said. "With cooperation from the Income Tax department, we have a bigger plot and a lot of scope to come up with a sustainable complex where all Delhi government departments can be housed."
Redesigning the Blueprint for a Modern Complex
The fresh plan necessitates a complete redesign of earlier proposals. The PWD had previously drafted a plan for a twin-tower complex at ITO, estimated to cost over Rs 2,000 crore. That design involved two interconnected high-rise structures and a skybridge. With the new, larger land parcel, the entire layout will be reworked to create a more comprehensive facility.
The new secretariat complex is likely to have a built-up area of approximately 30 lakh square feet. Planners will also attempt to accommodate the Income Tax department's own requirement of around 10 lakh square feet within the new blueprint. Once the new complex is ready, the current Players' Building is most likely to be rented out, officials added.
This development marks a crucial step in modernizing Delhi's administrative infrastructure, promising a centralized and efficient workspace for the state's governance machinery after decades of operating from a makeshift and fragmented setup.
