Construction of mock-ups of an office for the Common Central Secretariat (CCS) project in the plot next to Bharatiya Janata Party president J.P. Nadda’s official residence was abruptly stopped soon after it began in June, according to sources.
As a part of the government’s larger redevelopment of the Central Vista area, three buildings of the new CCS are coming up at the site of the erstwhile Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) campus on Janpath. The project was awarded by the Central Public Works Department to Larsen and Toubro Ltd. on October 27, 2021, for ₹3,141.99 crore, the largest contract given by the CPWD till then, and is currently under construction.
In connection with the CCS project, some mock-ups and a steel shed were to be constructed at 9, Janpath, an empty plot right next to Mr. Nadda’s residence at 7-B, Motilal Nehru Marg, according to the sources. However, the work was stopped soon after it was started, they said.
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A complaint sent to the Prime Minister’s Office on July 9 and to the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry on July 20 alleged that the work was stopped by the “next door neighbours”. Asked for a comment, a CPWD spokesperson declined, but added that the agency had already replied to the “PG complaint in this matter”, referring to the public grievance redressal system. L&T spokespersons did not respond to requests for comment.
When asked for comment on the matter, a Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry spokesperson said the site was changed when a more convenient spot became available and that the construction of the CCS buildings itself would not be affected.
“One mock-up of the office is required to be constructed before carrying out large-scale finishing works in CCS buildings being constructed at the IGNCA plot between Mansingh Road and Janpath. Earlier, it was planned to be constructed at 9, Janpath as no suitable land was available nearby. Only preparatory work was taken up there.
“Later, the Defence Ministry agreed to give land for providing storage and labour accommodation on temporary basis in Princess Park on C-Hexagon, which is near the site and more convenient. It was therefore decided to construct the mock-up office at Princess Park. As the CCS building is still at the basement level, there will not be any impact on project timeline due to shifting of site for mock-up,” the spokesperson said.
The first three buildings of the CCS are a part of 10 new buildings proposed to be built by 2026 to house all Union Ministries and provide for a conference centre. As of August 4, the Ministry said in a reply to the Lok Sabha, 17% of the three CCS buildings had been completed, while the deadline was December 2023.
