New Delhi: Prime Minister Modi Narendra Modi will inaugurate the new Defence Ministry office complex in Delhi on Thursday (September 16, 2021) at 11 am. The Defence Ministry office, which houses close to 7,000 employees, and many other organisations are set to shift to two new complexes on Africa Avenue and Kasturba Gandhi Marg.
The move was prompted after the existing Defence Ministry at Dalhousie Road near South Block was shifted as the space was needed for the Prime Minister's new residence and office as part of the Central Vista Redevelopment project. The Defence Ministry shifting is expected to vacate 50 acres of land.
The plan also includes the relocation of the Vice President's new residence behind North Block and 10 new building blocks to accommodate government offices, including Shastri Bhavan, Nirman Bhavan, Udyog Bhavan, Krishi Bhavan and Vayu Bhavan.
According to ANI, the inaugural event will be attended by the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, MoS Defence Ajay Bhatt, MoS Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishore, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane, Chief of the Naval Staff -- Admiral Karambir Singh, Chief of the Air Staff --Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria.
Additionally, an official release by the Prime Minister's Office said, "Prime Minister will visit the Defence Office Complex at Africa Avenue and interact with Army, Navy, Air Force and Civilian Officers. This will be followed by his address to the gathering."
The new Defence Office is being said to be state-of-the-art and energy-efficient, with comprehensive security management measures Complexes. The new buildings will also provide modern amenities, connectivity and welfare facilities like canteens and banks.
According to IANS report, the office complex on Africa Avenue is a seven-storey space that will house the offices of only the Defence Ministry, while the eight-storey building on Kasturba Gandhi Marg will be used to temporarily accommodate offices currently located at Parivahan Bhawan and Shram Shakti Bhawan till their new offices are being built at the Central Secretariat Complex.
(With Agency inputs)
