Government invites bids to build new Prime Minister's Office

NEW DELHI: The government on Tuesday invited pre-qualification bids for the construction of the Executive Enclave which will house a new prime minister's office (PMO), Cabinet Secretariat, India House and National Security Council Secretariat, estimating the project cost at ₹1,171 crore.

According to the CPWD's bid document, the project, which is being executed under the Modi government's ambitious Central Vista redevelopment plan, will be completed within 24 months. The pre-qualification bids will be opened on November 24.

The Central Public Works Department (CPWD), which comes under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, said the Executive Enclave will come up on the south side of the South Block in plot number 36/38 in the high security zone in Lutyens' Delhi.

The bid document states that the new PMO will have three floors having a floor height of 4.75 metres, in addition to the basement and ground floor, and the new Cabinet Secretariat and NSCS will have the same building structure.

'India House', which will have one floor in addition to basement and ground floor, is likely to be used as a conference facility like the Hyderabad House where high-level talks, especially with top visiting leaders of various countries, are currently held.

"The (Executive) Enclave will be designed to improve potency and functioning through carefully planned formation of different departments with supporting facilities, this will ensure prime security and excellent interconnectivity within the Enclave and with other offices in Central Vista.

"Relocating these departments will also ensure efficient security protocols for VIPs and VVIPs without disturbing daily movement of the public in and around the Central Vista," the CPWD document states.

The CPWD said the proposed work is of very prestigious nature and is required to be completed strictly within the prescribed time limit of 24 months with the highest standards of quality and workmanship.

According to the CPWD, interested construction firm submitting bid for the project should have average annual gross turnover of ₹586 crore on civil and/or electrical construction works during the immediate last three consecutive financial years ending on March 31, 2021. Joint ventures/consortium and special purpose vehicles are not accepted.

"The existing structures on plot number 36/38 are to be demolished before the start of new construction. The existing boundary wall also needs to be demolished and new boundary wall shall be constructed as per design and drawings provided by the department," the bid document states.

Earlier this month, infrastructure firm Kamladityya Construction Pvt Ltd had emerged as the lowest bidder for the construction of the Vice President Enclave under the Central Vista redevelopment project.

Last month, Larsen & Toubro Limited had been awarded the contract for the construction and maintenance of the first three buildings of the Common Central Secretariat.

Tata Projects Limited is constructing a new parliament building while Shapoorji Pallonji and Company Limited is executing the redevelopment work of the Central Vista Avenue stretching from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to the India Gate under the Central Vista redevelopment project.

The redevelopment of the Central Vista, the nation' power corridor, envisages a new parliament building, a common central secretariat, revamping of the 3-km Rajpath from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to the India Gate, new office and residence of the prime minister, and a new vice president enclave.