Delhi to float global tender for twin-tower secretariat at ITO

New DelhiThe Delhi government is likely to issue a global tender within the next month for the construction of a twin-tower secretariat complex at ITO, as part of its plan to aggregate government departments at a single administrative hub, Public Works Department (PWD) minister Parvesh Verma said on Friday

New Delhi

The two towers are proposed to be linked in a manner similar to Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands, officials said. (Representative photo)

The Delhi government is likely to issue a global tender within the next month for the construction of a twin-tower secretariat complex at ITO, as part of its plan to aggregate government departments at a single administrative hub, Public Works Department (PWD) minister Parvesh Verma said on Friday.

The government has finalised a twin tower design plan, which will comprise two interconnected buildings despite being located on either side of the Indraprastha Marg, after it resolved land issue pertaining to redevelopment of the Income Tax department office. The two towers are proposed to be linked in a manner similar to Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands, officials said.

“We will float a global tender in the next one to one-and-a-half months. The objective is to invite the best companies from India and abroad to design a world-class secretariat with modern technology, efficient design and high-quality construction,” Verma said.

The government has been planning a new secretariat for several years as departments continue to function from multiple buildings across the Capital, including the Players Building near ITO, which was originally constructed for the 1982 Asian Games and later converted into the Delhi Secretariat. Officials have repeatedly said that the scattered arrangement results in operational inefficiencies and higher maintenance costs.

According to details shared, the currently operational 12-storeyed MSO building—housing the PWD headquarters and the Income Tax office—will be redeveloped into one of the towers, while the Vikas Bhawan and adjoining government buildings will be redeveloped as the other one.

The project will be developed over 53,603 square metres, with nearly 30,000 square metres of parking area and about 15,000 square metres of landscaping and terrace gardens, according to officials familiar with the proposal.

Officials said the detailed architectural design and statutory approvals will proceed alongside the tendering process, with the selected agency expected to prepare the final design. The project is estimated to cost more than ₹2,000 crore and will incorporate modern infrastructure, centralised digital systems, energy-efficient features, upgraded fire safety measures and multilevel parking facilities.

Verma said the global tender would provide bidders flexibility to propose innovative architectural solutions while meeting the government’s functional requirements.

“This is a landmark project for Delhi. We want a sustainable, future-ready administrative complex that can accommodate all major government departments under one roof while incorporating global standards in design, energy efficiency and public infrastructure,” he said.

The project received a boost after the Income Tax Department agreed, in principle, to the redevelopment of its 4.5-acre campus as part of the integrated plan, subject to receiving equivalent built-up space in the new development for its present and future requirements. The agreement enabled planners to proceed with a unified master plan, instead of working around fragmented land parcels, officials said.