CPWD invites bids to demolish hutments to make room for Executive Enclave

The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has invited bids for demolishing hutments located on Dara Shikoh Road in Lutyens' Delhi to pave the way for the construction of an Executive Enclave housing a new PMO, according to official document.

These hutments, built during the Second World War, were being used by the defence ministry as offices till late 2021. These offices were later shifted to new complexes at Kasturba Gandhi Marg and Africa Avenue inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to the CPWD's bid document, demolition of all buildings and boundary wall should be completed within 60 days of start of work.

As part of the Central Vista redevelopment plan, the CPWD, which comes under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, is constructing the Executive Enclave that will come up in the place of around 700 hutments.

The last date to submit the bid is August 14 and it will be opened the same day. The estimated cost to complete the project is Rs 1,22,15,000.

"The contractor has to demolish all permanent/semi-permanent buildings present in block No. A&B along with foundations of all types & sizes...by manual or/and mechanical means (blasting is completely prohibited)," the bid document stated.

It stated that demolition of all buildings and boundary wall and disposal of the dismantled material will be completed within 60 days of start of work.

A penalty of Rs 75,000 per day will be imposed for non-compliance of the same, the CPWD says in its bid document.

The Executive Enclave which will house a new prime minister's office (PMO).

Apart from the PMO, the Executive Enclave will house the Cabinet Secretariat, India House and National Security Council Secretariat.

"India House" will be used as a conference facility like the Hyderabad House where high-level talks, especially with top visiting leaders of various countries, are currently held.

The redevelopment of the Central Vista, the nation's power corridor, envisages a new Parliament building, a common central secretariat, revamping of the three-km Rajpath from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to the India Gate, new office and residence of the prime minister, and a new vice-president enclave.