NEW DELHI: Several ministries operating from Shastri Bhawan are set to move into the newly constructed Common Central Secretariat (CCS) Building, Kartavya Bhavan 2. The Ministry of Defence and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which currently have offices in South and North Block, will also relocate to the new building at the Dr Rajendra Prasad Road–Mansingh Road junction.
Officials from the ministries have already inspected their new office spaces, and the shifting is expected to be completed by mid-February, during the interval of the Budget Session.
According to an allotment letter seen by this newspaper, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MI&B) has been allocated at least 120 rooms. The Ministry of Culture will occupy 45 rooms, while the Ministry of Law and Justice will have 110 rooms. The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has 30 rooms, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare will move into 12 rooms. The Ministry of Education has over 50 rooms.
The Ministry of Defence has been allotted around 225 rooms, while 12 rooms on the ground and first floors are reserved for the CBI. All these ministries currently operate from Shastri Bhavan.
Ministries located in Nirman Bhavan, Krishi Bhavan, and Udyog Bhavan will also be relocated to CCS Buildings 4, 5, and 9. Once the shifting is complete, the old bhavans will be demolished to make way for new office buildings under the Central Vista Redevelopment Plan.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), now ready in the new Seva Teerth 1 block of the Executive Enclave, will also begin its move soon. The PMO has been operating from South Block since independence.
The Executive Enclave comprises three blocks: Seva Teerth 1, 2, and 3. The Cabinet Secretariat shifted to Seva Teerth 2 in September, and the National Security Council Secretariat will relocate to Seva Teerth 3 soon. Earlier, the Cabinet Secretariat operated from Rashtrapati Bhavan, and the NSCS is currently in Sardar Patel Bhavan on Parliament Street.