Delhi’s iconic Shastri Bhawan and Krishi Bhawan are soon going to be demolished, as workers last week were spotted putting up scaffolding to cover the façade of Shastri Bhawan before the demolition. At the same time, the last few offices left in the two complexes are beginning to move out. The Department of Consumer Affairs, currently at Krishi Bhawan, is reported to have got space at a government office block in Netaji Nagar.
The Central Public Works Department (CPWD), which is ready for its demolition drive, will come up with a facilitation desk at the new building to help with the shifting.
The twin buildings will make way for Kartavya Bhawan 4 and 5, as part of the government’s Central Vista redevelopment project.
Since the proposed new buildings will come up on the existing sites, the premises need to be demolished first so that new construction can begin there.
That is why the CPWD is getting ready to bring down both the historic buildings.
The CPWD had earlier asked ministries and departments occupying the two buildings to vacate the premises and hand them over by September 30, 2026.
It had even asked the concerned ministries and departments to complete the shifting process on priority so that the sites could be handed over to the agency executing the project.
As a result, a large number of ministries and departments shifted out of Shastri Bhawan and Krishi Bhawan to alternative office locations, including the newly developed Kartavya Bhawans.
It is worth mentioning here that the two buildings have served as important government office complexes for decades. Shastri Bhawan, named after former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, has housed several major ministries, while Krishi Bhawan has been associated with the Agriculture and Rural Development ministries, among others.
The demolition of the two buildings is part of the government’s broader plan to create modern Common Central Secretariat complexes and bring ministries currently operating from different locations under new, integrated office buildings.
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