With the redevelopment plan of Central Vista in the offing, the Centre has identified around four locations in central Delhi for the possible shift of various government offices in temporary structure to be erected by the CPWD.
Sources told PTI that the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry (HUA) has so far identified its vacant land in Gole Market, K G Marg, near Africa Avenue and near Talkatora Stadium for the possible shift of offices of various ministries.
In the ministry, a process is currently underway to ascertain how many government offices are functioning in Lutyens' Delhi.
Earlier this month, HUA had floated a request for proposal (RFP) for "development or redevelopment of Parliament Building, Common Central Secretariat and Central Vista", an ambitious project of the Modi government.
For the redevelopment of Central Vista on three-km stretch from Rashtrapati Bhawan to India Gate and development of Common Central Secretariat, several buildings like Shastri Bhawan, Transport Bhawan, Udyog Bhawan, Nirman Bhawan and Krishi Bhawan may be razed.
However, the government will take a final decision on it only after designs to be submitted by architectural firms are selected.
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"There is around 2.5 acre land available behind Talkatora Stadium. Also, eight to nine acre land are lying vacant near Africa Avenue.
"There is also piece of land in Gole Market and on K G Marg where various government offices can be shifted," sources said.
They said all ministries' offices may be shifted to central Delhi for smooth functioning of government.
The Central Public Works Department has assured the HUA that it can erect temporary structures of two-three floors with available latest technology in just three months to accommodate hundreds of government offices, sources said.
"Once the redevelopment of Central Vista is completed, these temporary structures will be dismantled on the given land.
"Efforts are also being made to look for already built-up structures where some offices can also be shifted," they also said.
The CPWD is the prime construction agency of the central government. According to the ambitious plan, the entire project will be executed by 2024.
On September 18, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said that a new Parliament building having offices of ministers and MPs that may be constructed next to the over 90-year-old structure is one of the options being considered by the government.
The minister has already clarified that there would be no change in the facade of Parliament, Rashtrapati Bhawan, North and South Block.
One of the options that is being considered is the chambers of the two Houses of Parliament will be revamped to accommodate more MPs.
About the redevelopment plan of Central Vista, Puri had said buildings that had been built in 1960s and 70s should have been torn down many years ago.
"Something went wrong there," Puri had said.
Using cricket terms to take a dig at earlier governments, he had said, "Either we (CPWD under previous governments) lowered the standard or we took eyes off the ball. We wanted to spin the ball but something else happened and in the process it was a hit-wicket.