Lack of funds delay completion of new Cong office in Delhi

Construction of the Congress party’s new office called Indira Bhawan on Rouse Avenue in the national capital has been delayed beyond the mid-November deadline due to lack of funds and the ongoing assembly elections in five states.

The Congress was supposed to vacate 24, Akbar Road, its home for 40 years, by October this year, along with 26, Akbar Road, the Congress Seva Dal office, and 5, Raisina Road, the office of the Indian Youth Congress.

Construction of the new office building started in November 2016 and was scheduled to be completed by November 2018. The contract was awarded to L&T Construction. The cost was estimated at Rs 172 crore.


“The total construction cost is Rs 160.76 crore,” a Congress official told ET. “Rest is government taxes. About Rs 80 crore has been spent on the construction till now. The outside work is almost complete. Only the inside work is left now.”

Construction slowed down from July to September because of non-availability of funds, people familiar with the project told ET. The party explored the option of crowd funding in July but that idea didn’t go far. However, work resumed at a normal pace in October after the party garnered some funds. Construction continues, but not at a great speed.

“If regular funding comes, the construction company can complete the office in four months,” said a Congress official. “But no further direction has come as leaders are busy with party campaigns for the assembly elections.”

Senior Congress leaders Motilal Vora and Ahmed Patel used to visit the site regularly and monitor the progress, but it’s been a while since they assessed the construction work.

“I can’t say anything about the construction right now as I am in Madhya Pradesh busy with the elections,” Vora told ET over phone.

The six-floor, hi-tech office, designed by award-winning architect Hafeez Contractor, has a floor area of 21,008 sq ft. Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s office will be located on the fifth floor, which will have restricted access.

Some changes were incorporated recently in the interiors of the ground floor, where a large media room is being built.

L&T Construction declined to comment on the project.

Construction of the BJP’s new office at 6, Deen Dayal Upadhayay Marg started in August 2016, and the project was completed in 18 months, allowing the ruling party to shift in February.