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Unused 12-storey office complex in Karkardooma to come up as mini-secretariat for East Delhi
The project is likely to be finalised after a meeting between MCD mayor Raja Iqbal Singh and Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta, officials said.
A 12-storey office complex in Karkardooma, originally built to serve as the zonal headquarters for the erstwhile East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC), is now slated to become a mini-secretariat for the East Delhi district, housing key administrative offices in a singular location in the area, officials aware of the matter said on Thursday.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is in discussions with the Delhi government to transfer the building, and the project is likely to be finalised after a meeting between MCD mayor Raja Iqbal Singh and Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta, officials said.
The move, according to an official aware of the matter, aligns with the government’s plan to establish one integrated administrative hub – dubbed “mini-secretariats” – in each of Delhi’s 13 newly aligned districts. The initiative follows the reorganisation of Delhi’s administrative structure into 13 districts aligned with the 13 MCD zones – aimed at improving accessibility to government services and administrative functions.
The 12-storey Karkardooma complex, spread over 7,132 square meters, consists of three blocks. While one five-storey block has been used as a municipal office, the other two are intended to be leased entirely.
The building is fully air-conditioned, includes parking for 216 vehicles, and is near metro connectivity. “The fully air-conditioned office is close to metro stations and other places like shopping malls, hospitals and educational institutions. Its parking can accommodate at least 216 vehicles and a dedicated road has been developed to improve its connectivity,” the official cited above said.
For the cash-strapped MCD, leasing the unused structure provides a needed revenue stream.
The repurposing follows the 2022 merger of Delhi’s three municipal corporations, which left the Karkardooma complex without a clear function.
East MCD headquarters operated from the DSIIDC office in Patparganj Industrial Area between 2012-22. Once the East, North and South MCD were reunified, many of the offices shifted to the Civic Centre. The DSIIDC building in Patparganj, which was earlier used by EDMC as its headquarters, became the zonal office. MCD officials said that the corporation does not want to incur massive expenditure on maintenance of the building complex.
Mini secretariats are designed to consolidate scattered district-level offices – such as those of the district magistrate, revenue officials, and civic services – improving public access and administrative efficiency.
The Public Works Department has been tasked with setting up the other mini-secretariats at the new district commissioner office at Mandawali, the district magistrate office in the North district, the DM office at Kanjhawala for Northwest district and the DM office at Dwarka Sector-10 for Southwest district.
