Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Kartavya Bhavan, or the Central Secretariat Building-3, on Wednesday (August 6), his office said on Monday.
The building will house offices of key ministries such as home, external affairs, petroleum and natural gas, and the office of the principal scientific advisor to the PM.
The CCS-3 is the first building being made ready as part of the marquee Central Vista revamp conceived in 2019.
This makeover is the centrepiece of Prime Minister Modi’s bid to leave a new architectural legacy, a contrast to the previous mix of colonial-era architecture from the seat of power.
The ones already delivered are the new Parliament building, which hosted its first session in September 2023; the redeveloped and re-christened Raj Path as Kartavya Path, which opened in September 2022, and the Vice-President’s enclave, which was ready in April 2024. The new Parliament building and the Vice President’s enclave were delayed by more than a year as the entire Central Vista overhaul was originally scheduled to be completed by 2024.
Now CCS-3, along with CCS-1 and 2, are set for completion in September, with 88% of the project already completed, a government reply in the Parliament on July 24 said. CCS-10 (28% of construction completed) is scheduled to be ready by April 2026, while CCS-6 and CCS-7 (1% of the work completed) are expected to finish construction by October 2026, the reply added.
A government release said the CCS-3 building is designed to use 30% less energy. “It has special glass windows to keep the building cool and reduce outside noise. Energy-saving LED lights, sensors that switch off lights when not needed, smart lifts that save power, and an advanced system to manage electricity use will all help save energy. Solar panels on the roof of Kartavya Bhavan-3 will generate over 5.34 lakh units of electricity every year. Solar water heaters meet more than a quarter of the daily hot water needs. Charging stations for electric vehicles have also been provided.