NEW DELHI: The process to vacate Shastri Bhawan and Nirman Bhawan — home to at least 18 central ministries — has begun to make way for the construction of Common Central Secretariat (CCS) buildings 4, 5, and 9 under the Central Vista redevelopment project.
According to government sources, ministries and departments housed in these two prominent office blocks have been notified and asked to prepare for relocation by October-November. In the interim, some ministries are expected to temporarily move for about two years to alternate locations, including the General Pool Office Accommodation (GPOA)-2 at Kasturba Gandhi Marg and the NBCC’s World Trade Centre complex at Nauroji Nagar.
Meanwhile, to ensure adequate space allocation, the Central Public Works Department has initiated a survey to assess the staff strength of each ministry operating from Shastri Bhawan. “CPWD teams will visit each room in both buildings to conduct a physical survey and determine space requirements,” officials said.
Sources further stated that space allocation in the nearly completed CCS buildings 1, 2, and 3 are set to begin within the next 7 to 10 days. Ministries currently operating out of North Block—especially the Finance and Home Ministries—are expected to be the first to move, with full relocation projected by August. The South Block evacuation is expected to follow three to four months later.
The government is also in the process of clubbing smaller ministries to optimize space within the new complexes. Secretaries and senior officials from Shastri Bhawan and Nirman Bhawan may be temporarily relocated to nearby accommodations such as the GPOA at KG Marg. Post-vacation, the North and South Blocks—designated Grade-I heritage structures—are slated to be transformed into the Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum, a key cultural highlight of the Central Vista vision.
Though CCS buildings are structurally ready, minor engineering modifications are still needed based on specific requirements of the ministries. “Space is being allotted after careful consideration of needs and equipment; retrofitting later will be difficult. That’s why preemptive coordination is being done,” sources added.
Originally scheduled for completion in March 2024, the Central Vista project is running behind schedule, with the revised deadline now extended to 2028. As part of the redevelopment plan, all central government ministries and departments will eventually be housed across 10 CCS buildings along Kartavya Path.