NEW DELHI: As a couple of ministries and departments are expecting to shift to the three Common Central Secretariat (CCS) buildings soon, the ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA) has started exploring solutions for designing better mobility in and around the New Delhi area especially in the vicinity of Kartavya Path and Parliament House.
To explore alternatives for seamless travelling in the region, the ministry is conducting a study to develop strategies for reducing congestion, improving roads, enhancing public transport, and improving multi-modal integration at metro stations. Based on its findings, the plan is also to upgrade pedestrian infrastructure. As part of the study, the ministry is seeking online feedback from the government employees working with Central ministries and departments to understand their travelling pattern.
“The insights from the survey will help in designing better mobility solutions for a more efficient and sustainable urban environment. Therefore, the staff of ministries and departments have been requested to issue suitable instructions to all officials to be part of the online survey as their input is crucial in shaping practical and data-driven improvements for daily commuting in the area,” said officials.
Through the survey, the ministry is seeking to know the places from where the employees start their journey, the location of the workplace, such as Shastri Bhawan, Udyog Bhawan or Rail Bhawan, mode of travel, and distance travelled every day. The respondents have also been asked to submit the cost of their daily commuting, challenges in the last mile connectivity and preferred boarding and alighting points—Metro station or bus stand-- near their residence and offices.
Around the Kartavya Path and Parliament House, there are about at least 20 Government office complexes including Bhawans housing 51 ministries and departments, which are frequented by around 54,000 employees every day.
As part of the Central Vista Redevelopment Project, a Common Central Secretariat (CCS) is being developed. That will comprise 10 office buildings and a Central Conference Centre. All the offices are proposed to be housed there to improve coordination, collaboration and synergy. The offices of the finance and home ministries and department of personnel and training (DoPT) are likely to move first to the new buildings—CCS 1, 2 and 3 by May.
All the offices are proposed to be connected through a loop of automated underground people-mover, over-ground shuttles and walkways. These buildings will replace existing Central Secretariat Offices like all Bhawans, North and South blocks.