Shastri Bhawan, Krishi Bhawan To Make Way For Kartavya Bhawan 4 And 5

The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has asked government departments to vacate Shastri Bhawan and Krishi Bhawan and hand over the premises by the end of September, clearing the way for construction of Kartavya Bhawan 4 and 5 in central Delhi. The two buildings, which housed parts of the Union government’s administrative machinery for decades, are now set to be replaced as part of the Central Secretariat redevelopment.

Shastri Bhawan and Krishi Bhawan were constructed during the expansion of the Central Secretariat in the 1950s and 1960s, as the government’s administrative requirements grew beyond the original North and South Blocks.

KB-4, KB-5 Project Cost Rises Nearly 5%

The construction tender for Kartavya Bhawan 4 and 5, also referred to as Common Central Secretariat (CCS) 4 and 5, was first floated in January 2026. It was re-tendered in June with a higher estimated cost.

The latest tender puts the combined project cost at ₹3,155.41 crore, up from ₹3,006.07 crore in the January tender. The ₹149.34-crore increase amounts to nearly 4.97%.

The revised tender also expands the combined footprint of CCS-4 and CCS-5 by 115 square metres.

According to a Hindustan Times report, officials attributed the increase to a “slight modification” in the design, saying some areas earlier planned as open or common spaces had been converted into usable office space.

“There has been some optimisation in the planning. Certain areas that were earlier kept as open or common spaces have been converted into usable office space, which has led to a marginal increase in the built-up area and associated costs,” the official said.

New Buildings To Be Built In Two Years

The first three Kartavya Bhawan buildings were constructed at a sanctioned cost of ₹3,690 crore and were inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August.

Officials said the higher cost of CCS-4 and CCS-5 was also linked to the construction technology planned for the new buildings. While the technology is relatively more expensive, it is expected to help complete the seven-storey structures within a two-year construction timeline.

The shifting of departments from Shastri Bhawan and Krishi Bhawan marks another step in the redevelopment of the Central Secretariat, which is aimed at consolidating government offices in newer administrative buildings.