The finance ministry’s Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) is likely to shift to its new office in the Common Central Secretariat (CCS) 1 building on Monday, people familiar with the matter said on Saturday, adding that an internal circular has been issued, directing employees to follow strict protocols while relocating files and equipment from the ministry.
A circular dated September 19, issued by an undersecretary of the finance ministry’s administration department, said that senior officers’ documents that are currently in cabins and offices must be shifted in the presence of their personal staff. All departments have also been asked to nominate one senior officer of the rank of undersecretary or a section officer to supervise the shifting.
“Confidential/secret files and records should be packed separately and will be shifted under the strict supervision of the nominated nodal officers,” said the circular, a copy of which has been seen by HT.
It further stated that the nodal officer must be present during both the packing of items at the old office at the North Block and their receipt at the CCS 1 building. “The nodal officer will be required to give a completion certificate after unpacking and reinstallation of items at CCS 1. For officers seated in separate rooms/cabins, shifting will be done in the presence of their personal staff. Such staff would be required to sign the list of items packed before loading in truck and would be required to check receipt of each item from the list after unpacking,” the circular said.
“The shifting will commence soon, most probably from September 22,” it added.
{{/usCountry}}“The shifting will commence soon, most probably from September 22,” it added.
{{/usCountry}}The ministry of housing and urban affairs had on June 1 approved the relocation of at least seven ministries/departments to the newly built CCS-3 building (also known as Kartavya Bhavan -3 ). The ministries allotted space at the CCS- 3 building(first to be completed) include home affairs, external affairs, petroleum and natural gas, department of personnel and training (DoPT) and rural development.
Though the circular does not mention the time, the shifting and transportation of documents of the finance ministry’s office is most likely going to happen at night after working hours -- like it was done for the above mentioned ministries. HT had on August 31 reported how authorities have brought in a strict protocol during shifting such as ban on cell phones of transporters and packers, signing evidence seals and also escorts(in some cases).
Officials said each ministry has roped in private transporters for the transportation, packing and unpacking, which is why it is necessary to ban cell phones so that no documents(especially confidential ones) are photographed or supervise the shifting
The Prime Minister’s Office, too, is likely to be shifted by the first week of October from the South Block to the newly built Executive Enclave 1. The office consolidation represents a significant shift from the current arrangement, where ministries operate from buildings constructed across different eras. For decades, these ministries have been working from colonial-era buildings such as the North and South Blocks.
Others were scattered across post-Independence structures including Udyog Bhawan, Nirman Bhawan, Shastri Bhawan, Rail Bhawan, and Krishi Bhawan, built between 1956 and 1968.
The Central Vista redevelopment, valued at ₹20,000 crore, aims to modernise India’s administrative infrastructure whilst consolidating government operations. Key components already operational include the new Parliament building, which hosted its first session in September 2023, the redeveloped Kartavya Path (formerly Rajpath) opened in September 2022, and the Vice-President’s enclave completed in April 2024. The project, officials say, embodies the government’s administrative reform agenda: co-locating ministries will improve inter-ministerial coordination, accelerate policy execution, and create a more responsive administrative ecosystem.