The Central Public Works Department’s (CPWD) proposal to construct multi-storeyed buildings with 184 flats and amenities for Members of Parliament on Baba Kharak Singh Marg has been recommended for environmental clearance by the Delhi State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC), according to the minutes of the meeting last week.
Under the project, four 23-floor buildings and a five-floor amenity block are to be built after demolition of the existing buildings on the site.
The SEAC, at its meeting held on September 9, approved the CPWD’s plan to retain 150 of the 372 trees on the site and transplant 222 trees. SEAC chairman Vijay Garg said the condition of providing electric charging points for e-vehicles for at least 20% of the car parking was imposed in accordance with Delhi building by-laws. The project was recommended to the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority for issuing environmental clearance, according to the minutes that were signed on Monday.
A CPWD official said the process of obtaining all permissions for the project was on currently, while a construction agency, Sam India Infrastructure, had been selected following a tendering process earlier this year. In March, the CPWD invited bids for the project. The contract includes operation and maintenance costs for 36 months.
According to the CPWD, the estimated cost of the project was ₹557.88 crore and it would take 30 months to complete. Out of the eight bidders, Sam India Infrastructure emerged as the lowest with a bid of ₹490.79 crore.
The CPWD had earlier constructed 76 flats for MPs on Dr. B.D. Marg after demolishing existing bungalows. The new multi-storeyed flats were inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2020. Thirty-six redeveloped duplex flats for MPs on North Avenue were also completed in 2019.
