The corridors of power in the new Central Secretariat in Delhi, named Kartavya Bhawan, will be guarded by an access control architecture, with smart card readers deployed from the entrance of the building to the elevators to each office, including those of bureaucrats and ministers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Kartavya Bhawan 3 (KB 3), the first of the 10 buildings proposed under the Central Vista redevelopment plan, on Wednesday. He was accompanied by Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu, Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan, and Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary Srinivas Katikithala.
On a visit to KB 3 on Tuesday, Solus brand smart card readers were visible outside the offices of bureaucrats and ministers. Access control systems were also seen outside elevators.
The building will house the ministries of Home Affairs, External Affairs, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Rural Development, Personnel, and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, as well as the office of the Principal Scientific Advisor.
The buildings that these ministries are shifting out of, including North Block, Shastri Bhawan, Krishi Bhawan and Udyog Bhawan, have limited use of access control systems. In most existing government office buildings, access is controlled through paper passes or government ID cards, with smart card readers deployed only for access to the officers’ toilets.
So far, the Ministry of Home Affairs has moved into the new building, while the rest of the ministries are expected to do so after the inauguration.
Speaking at a press conference at KB 3 on Tuesday, Union minister Manohar Lal said the tendered cost of the three buildings, KB 1, 2 and 3, was Rs 3,690 crore, and the final cost would be known after completion. The other two buildings in the complex, KB 1 and 2, are expected to be completed in September.
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At the press conference, Srinivas Katikithala, Secretary, Housing and Urban Affairs, said the security features in the building were “elaborate” as “this is one of the most important and most sensitive parts of the government apparatus”. He added that not only did it have “CCTV indoor, outdoor control, but ID-based access control systems” were also included “to ensure both free and smooth movements for both officials and visitors.”
The secretary said all 10 of the new buildings will be completed by 2027. So far, work has started on six buildings, with three of them (KB 1, 2 and 3) either complete or nearing completion. Work on the remaining four will start by December 31, he added.
