An old colonial-style bungalow at 33, Sham Nath Marg Heights, New Delhi has been earmarked for demolition and reconstruction into a brand new office building, say officials involved with the project.
The two-storey structure, built in the 1920s, has not been used for about 20 years. The Public Works Department (PWD) has attempted to assign this structure multiple times, but has been unable to find a permanent occupant. Over time many prominent politicians have regarded the bungalow as ‘cursed’ and therefore avoided using it.
By replacing this antiquated structure with a brand new office building, officials will be able to make better use of the extremely valuable land. After demolition is completed, they will develop a generic architectural plan, possibly in combination with modern design features, which will allow them to create more space (by building more floors).
Officials also stated that consultation with Vastu experts might be included in the redevelopment to help resolve the stigma of the location. Eventually, the newly constructed office building will become part of the PWD’s collection of Government buildings and be available for official purposes.
This initiative by the Delhi Government is part of their Master Plan to get the most out of their public facilities and upgrade their infrastructure. The plan is to convert an unoccupied facility that is not being utilised into a functioning facility for the delivering of Government services. They hope to reduce current Government operations costs while making use of valuable land.
Redevelopment of the site will occur once all required approvals and clearances are received.