PMO moves to Sewa Teerth today; 78-yr stint at South Block ends: Details

The PMO will move on Friday from the historic South Block to the newly built Sewa Teerth complex, marking the end of a decades-old era in India's administrative centre

In a major administrative shift, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will relocate the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) from Delhi’s historic South Block to a newly built complex called Sewa Teerth on Friday. The move formally ends the PMO’s nearly eight-decade presence at the iconic building. 

The Prime Minister is scheduled to chair the final Cabinet meeting at South Block before the transition. After the meeting, Union ministers and senior officials will shift to the new complex, located less than a kilometre away on Raisina Hill.

A historic shift after 78 years

The relocation marks the end of an era for India’s administrative centre. The PMO has functioned from the South Block since Independence, making this the first such move in 78 years. 

The new Sewa Teerth complex will house the Prime Minister’s Office along with the Cabinet Secretariat and the National Security Council Secretariat -- all of which earlier operated from different buildings. 

Following the naming ceremony at around 1:30 pm, PM Modi will address a public event in the evening and formally inaugurate Sewa Teerth along with Kartavya Bhavan-1 and Kartavya Bhavan-2.   

What happens to North and South Block

With ministries vacating both South Block and North Block, the two colonial-era buildings will no longer serve as India’s central power hubs — a role they held since 1921. 

The government plans to convert the iconic structures into the 'Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum', which will showcase India’s civilisational history. Officials say the relocation is part of a wider effort to modernise governance spaces and move away from colonial administrative layouts.

Where the PMO is shifting

The PMO will now operate from Sewa Teerth-1, one of three interconnected buildings in the Executive Enclave-I zone. The complex is located near Vayu Bhawan.

• Sewa Teerth-2 already houses the Cabinet Secretariat after its shift from Rashtrapati Bhavan.
• Sewa Teerth-3 will accommodate the National Security Council Secretariat and the National Security Adviser’s office.

The enclave will also include India House, a new venue designed for hosting high-level international delegations.

A brief history of the PMO

South Block and North Block were completed in 1931 during British rule. India’s first Cabinet meeting under Jawaharlal Nehru was held at South Block after Independence.

  The PMO itself evolved over time:

• It began in 1947 as the Prime Minister’s Secretariat
• In 1964, during Lal Bahadur Shastri’s tenure, it received formal status
• Its authority expanded under Indira Gandhi
• In 1977, the government led by Morarji Desai renamed it the Prime Minister’s Office

 

In the coming weeks, the defence and external affairs ministries will also vacate South Block, while North Block has already been emptied.

Key features of the Sewa Teerth complex

Located on Dara Shikoh Road, the Sewa Teerth campus includes three interconnected buildings designed as modern, digitally integrated workspaces. 

The facility includes:

• Smart access control and surveillance systems
• Centralised public interface zones
• Conference halls and reception areas
• Renewable energy, water conservation, and waste management systems

 

Built to 4-Star GRIHA environmental standards, the complex is intended to reduce environmental impact while improving efficiency and collaboration among departments. 

Union Minister Jitendra Singh described the relocation as a symbolic step in moving away from colonial legacies. In a post on X, he said, "Tomorrow, Feb 13 2026, the history of independent India takes a new turn. The iconic PMO 'Prime Minister's Office' moves from the British era South Block to its new address, #SevaTeerth". Incidentally, on this very day in 1931, February 13, the British declared New Delhi the Capital of colonial India." 

"From that colonial proclamation to this decisive transition, the journey reflects PM @narendramodi's resolve to shed colonial legacies and build a truly Aatmanirbhar, self-confident New India." 

(With agency inputs)