In a primary for the Central Vista Redevelopment Venture, the Union Authorities has opened bidding for 2 Widespread Central Secretariat (CCS) buildings that won’t be designed by Bimal Patel’s agency, Ahmedabad-based HCP Design — the architect behind the venture’s masterplan and a number of other key buildings, together with the brand new Parliament.
On November 28, the Central Public Works Division (CPWD) invited tenders for these two CCS buildings (6 and seven) to be constructed on the outdated Vice-President’s Home web site on Maulana Azad Street and Vigyan Bhawan Annexe. These will kind a part of the proposed Defence Enclave for officers of the Defence Ministry, DRDO, and the armed companies at the moment unfold throughout Central Vista.
The tender’s web site plan and drawings are signed by CPWD Chief Architect Vijay Prakash Rao and don’t bear HCP’s stamp. The unique Central Vista masterplan, created by HCP in 2019, envisioned the 2 buildings (CCS 6 & 7) as doughnut-shaped constructions with central courtyards.
Nonetheless, the November 28 tender outlines a unique design, specifying rectangular-shaped buildings as an alternative and the contractor is required to hold out the detailing.
The tender sought bids for an Engineering Procurement and Building (EPC) contract, that means that it will give a fundamental design to the contractor, who would then be required to hold out the detailing. In all earlier Central Vista tasks, the detailed design completed by HCP was supplied by the CPWD to the contractors to execute.
A supply with data of the venture stated these two buildings could be made utilizing pre-engineered metal constructions, thereby lowering the time taken to finish.
The tender itself has given the contractor 18 months to finish the venture. As compared, the CCS 1,2 and three buildings which are being constructed as typical bolstered cement concrete (RCC) constructions started in 2021 and as per a reply to the Rajya Sabha this week, the anticipated completion date has gone from November 2023 to April 2025.
Emails had been despatched to the Ministry of Housing and City Affairs, below which the CPWD operates, the CPWD; and to HCP concerning the agency’s exclusion from CCS 6 and seven; they had been unavailable for remark.
Authorities sources confirmed that Patel’s agency won’t design the 2 buildings. One other supply related to the venture stated that this resolution was taken “six to eight months in the past.” The supply added that the Authorities had sounded out HCP earlier than the choice and the agency is learnt to have accepted of it.
One other supply conversant in the developments stated the design of the brand new buildings would align with HCP’s CCS 1, 2, and three designs and the general masterplan. “The buildings will probably be related, from the surface, however not an identical,” this supply famous.
“EPC is a wise possibility and right this moment most governments favor it because it saves administrative prices,” the sooner supply stated. “The contractor quotes a hard and fast value which is larger, factoring in over-runs, bears all the chance…The draw back is that you simply don’t have a lot management then on the design.”
The CPWD appointed HCP as its marketing consultant in October 2019 to design the Central Vista masterplan spanning from India Gate to Rashtrapati Bhawan (President’s Home).
The 2019 bid doc additionally required the successful marketing consultant to supply “complete detailed design” for all new buildings and “periodic supervision of workmanship.” The detailed design was meant to incorporate architectural and structural design, electrical, safety, plumbing design and inside design.
HCP received the contract with a bid of Rs 229 crore. Whereas the venture was scheduled for completion by 2024, building has confronted delays.
Patel’s agency designed the Central Vista masterplan and supplied detailed designs for all buildings the place work has commenced to this point—the brand new Parliament, CCS buildings 1, 2, 3, and 13, the Vice-President’s Enclave, the Government Enclave, the Prime Minister’s Residence, and the revamped Kartavya Path (previously Rajpath).
HCP continues to oversee ongoing tasks like CCS 1, 2, 3, and 13, in addition to the Government Enclave. The brand new Parliament and Kartavya Path had been accomplished in 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Patel, who was awarded a Padma Shri in 2019, and his agency, HCP, have been concerned in a number of key tasks in Gujarat, together with the continued redevelopment of Gandhi Ashram. Patel has additionally been accountable for the Kashi Vishwanath hall in Varanasi.
With Leena Misra, Ahmedabad
