New AP Bhavan to have multiple restaurants, service apartments

NEW DELHI: Multiple restaurants, multipurpose auditorium and service apartments may make its way to the iconic Andhra Pradesh Bhavan, which is set to be redeveloped in the wake of bifurcation of the state.

The Andhra Pradesh government has approached the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) Ltd., a Navratna company under the Ministry of Urban Development, for the purpose and the latter has come out with concept papers for revamping the landmark building in the national capital.

According to NBCC officials, the company has suggested building service apartments at the Bhavan, a first-of-its-kind initiative in any state guest house in New Delhi.

Interestingly, these apartments would be served with the spicy Andhra Pradesh food, a delicious feature that makes the Bhavan popular among Delhiites. The refurbished building will have three restaurants serving Andhra cuisines and one of these would be set up in the convention centre.

"We have proposed a convention centre with a seating capacity of over 2,000. This would meet the huge demand for a convention centre akin to Vigyan Bhavan within central Delhi," Anoop Kumar Mittal, NBCC Chairman and Managing Director, said.

Claiming such initiatives would make the Bhavan a more happening place, he said service apartments and convention hall can generate revenue for its self sustainability.

Auditorium, servant quarters, rooms for Ministers, MLAs and bureaucrats are the other facilities that would be made available in the building. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had held talks with officials of NBCC regarding reconstruction of the Bhavan in September this year.

Of the total 19 acres in the existing premises, Andhra Pradesh would get 58 per cent, which is approximately 10.6 acres, while Telangana would get the remaining 42 per cent land as per the AP Reorganisation Act 2014, AP government's special representative in New Delhi Kambhampati Ramamohan Rao had said after the meeting.

The Andhra Bhavan is one of the most sought after state houses in Delhi, especially for its spicy South Indian food. Situated near India Gate on Ashoka Road and adjacent to the Hyderabad House, the building has accommodations for official guests visiting Delhi from the state. At present, the compound houses information centres for tourism and famous hill shrine of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, besides a bank and handloom sales counter.