NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has approved a budget of Rs 35.99 crore for the renovation of the offices of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his other Cabinet colleagues at the secretariat, a government order said.
According to government officials, the Public Works Department (PWD) has been given the task of renovation of these offices located inside the Delhi Secretariat. The PWD has also issued an order in this connection.
"In pursuance of the proposal of Engineer-in-Chief PWD titled renovation of offices of CM and ministers at Delhi Sachivalaya at an estimated cost of Rs 35,99,44,400, I have been directed to convey administrative approval and expenditure sanction for carrying out the above work," PWD Deputy Secretary (Works) Anil Bhola said in the order.
Officials said that the proposal in this connection was prepared and tabled for approval on February 24 this year.
Currently, Kejriwal and his Cabinet, along with other bureaucrats and officials, work from their offices at the Delhi Sachivalaya, which is also known as Players Building, situated near the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.
The Players Building was built as a hotel to accommodate players of Asian Games 1982. "Now since the administrative approval has been given and expenditure amount has also been sanctioned, the work on the renovation of offices at the secretariat will commence soon. The rendering process will now begin," a PWD official said on Saturday.
In a separate project, the PWD will also build two new multi-storey and environment-friendly buildings near the ITO with an estimated cost of around Rs 2,000 crore. These buildings too will accommodate offices of the Chief Minister and the Cabinet ministers, along with bureaucrats of different departments of the Delhi government.
The project entails construction of buildings on three plots near the ITO. One of the buildings will be constructed where Vikas Bhawan-1 exists. The other building will be built on plots of the MSO building (PWD headquarters) and the GST building.
These will be built after demolishing the existing Vikas Bhawan, MSO building, and the GST building.