The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has invited bids for the restoration and retrofitting of the North Block on Raisina Hills, New Delhi, at an estimated cost of Rs 3.38 Bn. The project is expected to be completed within two years as part of the Central Vista Redevelopment Project.

North Block, which currently houses the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), will be transformed into the Yuga Yugeen Bharat National Museum. The South Block will undergo similar restoration in a second phase.

Of the total project cost, Rs 2.75 Bn is allocated for civil works and Rs 622.4 Mn for electrical works. Bidders must have at least one ongoing building project valued at no less than Rs 1.352 Bn. The Ministry of Home Affairs’ occupied areas will be handed over first, with the remaining spaces transferred four months after work begins.

The CPWD emphasises that the project must maintain the North Block’s historical integrity. Traditional materials like stone blocks, architraves, columns, and jalis will be restored or replaced using lime mortar and matching stone.

Source: Millennium Post