Buildings on either side of road: Delhi govt revises ITO secretariat plan

The Delhi government has modified its plan for its proposed new Secretariat complex at ITO, with two separate buildings now planned on either side of the road at the busy intersection, abandoning its earlier proposal for twin towers connected by a skywalk, officials familiar with the development said on Thursday

The Delhi government has modified its plan for its proposed new Secretariat complex at ITO, with two separate buildings now planned on either side of the road at the busy intersection, abandoning its earlier proposal for twin towers connected by a skywalk, officials familiar with the development said on Thursday.

Under the revised plan, the existing Income Tax Office (ITO) and the Public Works Department (PWD) headquarters will be demolished and replaced with two new structures, with the Income Tax Department shifting across the road and the Delhi government developing its new Secretariat on a larger, 10-acre parcel. (HT Archive)

Under the revised plan, the existing Income Tax Office (ITO) and the Public Works Department (PWD) headquarters will be demolished and replaced with two new structures, with the Income Tax Department shifting across the road and the Delhi government developing its new Secretariat on a larger, 10-acre parcel.

On the southern side of Indraprastha Marg, the existing ITO stands on five acres owned by the Union government. The Delhi government has another five-acre parcel next to it housing various departments. These two plots are proposed to be combined to create the 10-acre site to house the new Secretariat.

On the northern side, the existing PWD headquarters will be demolished, freeing up around eight acres owned by the Delhi government. The I-Tax Department will shift its operations to this parcel, along with some ancillary Delhi government departments. The redevelopment of the I-T Office has already been approved by the department, officials said.

The proposed complex will have a total built-up area of around 3.6 million square feet, of which approximately 1.1 million square feet will be allocated to the Income Tax Department. The remaining space will house Delhi government departments and offices.

PWD minister Parvesh Verma said the revised arrangement had resolved the key land-related issues and would allow the government to proceed with the project. “We want to develop a world-class secretariat with modern technology, efficient design and high-quality construction. The arrangement with the IT department has been worked out and the plan for two buildings across the road seems most efficient,” he said.

The configuration marks a significant departure from the proposal announced earlier this year. In July, the government had said it planned two interconnected towers on either side of Indraprastha Marg that would function as a single Secretariat complex. The design was compared to Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands, with the towers proposed to be linked by a structure resembling a skywalk.

Under the previous arrangement, one tower was to be developed at the existing PWD headquarters site, while the other was to come up on the I-T Department’s land and adjoining Delhi government land. The revised plan instead separates the two functions, with the I-T Department moving to the PWD site, and the Delhi government retaining the larger southern parcel for the Secretariat.

The decision follows several months of discussions over the use of the Income Tax Department’s land. The department had agreed in principle to participate in the redevelopment provided it received built-up space equivalent to its operational requirements. Although construction of the new Income Tax office will be undertaken by the PWD, its cost will be borne by the Union government’s tax department.

The government’s decision to retain ITO as the location for the Secretariat came after PWD examined several alternative sites. In October 2025, six locations were shortlisted, including Khyber Pass, Rajghat power plant, Indraprastha Estate, the ITO bus depot and sites around the existing ITO complex.

The proposed Secretariat is intended to consolidate departments currently spread across several locations. Offices of the revenue commissioner, labour commissioner, GST commissioner, education secretary, transport commissioner, excise commissioner, food and civil supplies secretary and other senior officers are currently housed in different government buildings, including the Civil Lines office complex.

The project is also intended to replace the existing Delhi Secretariat, popularly known as the Players’ Building, on Vikas Marg near ITO. The building was constructed in 1982 to accommodate athletes during the Asian Games and was later converted into the seat of the Delhi government. It covers around 40,970 square metres and houses the offices of the chief minister, ministers and senior bureaucrats.

The earlier PWD proposal had envisaged a project costing more than ₹2,000 crore, with modern office infrastructure, centralised digital systems, energy-efficient features, upgraded fire-safety systems and multilevel parking. The government had said the complex would serve as a consolidated administrative hub for major Delhi government departments.

Officials said the broad land-use arrangement has now been worked out, but the final architectural design and configuration of the two buildings will depend on detailed planning and further approvals.