Gujarat-Based Firm That Designed BJP Headquarters Wins Consultancy Bid For Parliament, Central Vista Revamp

Gujarat-based HCP Design, Planning and Management Private Limited has won the consultancy bud to revamp the Central Vista, Parliament, and Central Secretariat in New Delhi. The company was earlier involved in the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Project and were the chief architects of Bharatiya Janata Party’s new headquarters.

On October 25, Central Public Works Department Director General Prabhakar Singh said that the company in the past had carried out multiple projects and 80 per cent of the attention was given to quality and the rest to the finances during the selection process.

The Centre has sanctioned a consultancy cost of Rs 229.75 crore for the project. The estimated cost of construction of the entire project is around Rs 12,000 crore, stated the report.

The Central Public Work Department which is governed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs had floated a tender on September 2, called proposals for Development/Redevelopment of Parliament Building, Common Central Secretariat and Central Vista.

According to the Hindustan Times report, government officials met 15 architects interested in the project and submitted 24 proposals. Six of them including INI Design Studio Ahmedabad, Mumbai-based Hafeez Contractor, and New Delhi-based CP Kukreja Architects had submitted their bids.

Union urban affairs minister- Hardeep Puri said that the final decision was made by an empowered jury which went through all the presentation made by each firm. Puri also added that the government would have multiple public consultations on the project and would meet and consult firms that didn’t get the contract as well.

The government’s plan involves a restructuring of Central Vista, which may include razing of old buildings and revamping the Parliament building. The project is aimed at revamping the heritage Parliament building on India’s 75th independence day in August 2022 and building a common central secretariate till 2024. Buildings such as Shastri Bhawan, the Nirman Bhawan, the Krishi Bhawan and the Udyog Bhavan may be razed to build a common secretariate for over 70,000 central government employees located in 30 buildings. However, the heritage buildings like the Parliament building, and other structures in the North and South Blocks will not be touched while redeveloping the Central Vista, an over 3-km stretch from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate.

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