Central Vista makeover: Cabinet secy asks ministries to provide staff details

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba has sought details of employees from all ministries by Wednesday, (January 15) as the government launched an exercise to formulate an accommodation action plan under its ambitious project to redevelop Central Vista in Lutyens Delhi.

In his letter to secretaries, Gauba has asked them to appoint a nodal officer not below the rank of joint secretary in their respective ministries to facilitate collection of all required information in this regard, sources told PTI.

The Narendra Modi government has readied a blueprint for its ambitious plan to redevelop Central Vista — the nations power corridor in Delhi — for which several buildings such as Krishi Bhawan, Shastri Bhawan, Vigyan Bhawan, Vice-Presidents residence and Nirman Bhawan are likely to be razed.

The redevelopment plan of Central Vista is likely to include a triangular Parliament building next to the existing one, common central secretariat for ministries and the revamping of the 3-km-long Rajpath from Rashtrapati Bhavan till India Gate.

Shifting the residences of the vice-president and the prime minister close to the Rashtrapati Bhavan is also under consideration. An official said the 2022 Republic Day parade would take place at the “modernised” Rajpath.

As part of the Central Vista redevelopment project, the government will construct a central secretariat to accommodate offices of all ministries, the cabinet secretary said in the letter.

According to an estimate, the government is currently paying ₹1,000 crore as rent annually for its offices spread across the national capital.

“The cabinet secretary has sought a list of requirement of ministries, their attached and subordinate offices about the sanctioned and filled posts. He has asked secretaries of ministries to submit such details by January 15,” a source said.

Gauba said that such details will help the Union housing and urban affairs ministry, which is a nodal ministry for the mega project, formulate accommodation plan.

The Union housing and urban affairs ministry has planned to float tenders for each project by next month. According to the Central Public Works Department, the entire Central Vista redevelopment project will be executed at an estimated cost of ₹12,879 crore.

The new Parliament building with seating capacity for 1,000 to 1,200 people are targeted to be constructed by August 2022 when India will be celebrating its 75th Independence Day. The common Central Secretariat is likely to be built by 2024.

In October last year, Gujarat-based architecture firm HCP Designs won the consultancy bid for architectural and engineering planning of the Centres ambitious project.

The firm, which will be paid ₹229.75 crore for consultancy services, will prepare the master plan of the project, including designs, cost estimation, landscape and traffic integration plans, and parking facilities among others.