Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan is 'insufficient' to accomodate entire Ministry of External Affairs: Minister

NEW DELHI: The plush Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan (JNB), the new abode of the Ministry of External Affairs built at the cost of over Rs 220 crore, is "insufficient" to accommodate the entire ministry.

"The total expenditure incurred on the construction and furnishing of JNB is Rs 2,20,60,49,370. A large number of Divisions including senior officers have moved into JNB. Office space available in the building is insufficient to accommodate the entire ministry," Minister of State in the MEA E Ahamed said in the Rajya Sabha.

Replying to a written question, the minister said the terms and conditions for construction of the MEA office premises at JNB, at the time of allotment of the plot of land to the ministry, included Floor Area Ratio (FAR), height.

"These conditions imposed restrictions on the construction plans of the ministry," Ahamed added.

JNB, the stately red sandstone structure with a built up area of nearly 60,000 sq mtrs, has three main interconnected blocks - one of three storeys and two of 5 storeys, four distinct zones with separate entrances and houses important divisions of the ministry including Southern, Economic and Finance.

Officials said JNB is also being used for bilateral and trilateral meetings.