Secretariat Building, New Delhi

2021-12-23T09:03:34Z

106.210.7.111: This new link is from official website of Central Vista. Here user can get all info about Rajpath

{{Short description|Building on Raisina Hill, New Delhi, India which houses the Cabinet Secretariat}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox Historic building
|name = Secretariat Building
|native_name =
|image = [[File:Delhi India Government.jpg|frameless|250px]]
|caption = [[Cabinet Secretariat of India]] located at South Block of the building
|map_type = India Delhi
|map_caption = Location in New Delhi, India
|location = New Delhi, India
|coordinates = {{Coord|28|36|54|N|77|12|21|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
|current_tenants = [[Rajiv Gauba]], [[Cabinet Secretary of India]]
|architect = [[Herbert Baker]]
|floor_area = {{convert|148000|sqft|abbr=on}}
|client =
|engineer =
|start_date = 1912
|completion_date = 1927
|style = [[Delhi Order]]
|size =
}}

The '''Secretariat Building''' or '''Central Secretariat''' is where the [[Cabinet Secretariat of India|Cabinet Secretariat]] is housed, which administers the [[Government of India]]. Built in the 1910s, it is home to some of the most important ministries of the [[Cabinet of India]]. Situated at [[Raisina Hill]], [[New Delhi]], the Secretariat buildings are two blocks of symmetrical buildings (North Block and South Block) on opposite sides of the great axis of [[Rajpath]], and flanking the [[Rashtrapati Bhavan]] (President's House).

==History==
{{Main|Imperial Civil Service|Imperial Secretariat Service}}
[[File:Inauguration of New Delhi 1931.jpg|thumb|left|The 1931 series celebrated the inauguration of [[New Delhi]] as the seat of government. The one [[rupee]] stamp shows [[George V]] with the "asking Alexandria" and Dominion Columns.]]
The planning of [[New Delhi]] began in earnest after [[Delhi]] was made capital of the [[British Indian Empire]] in 1911. [[Edwin Lutyens|Lutyens]] was assigned responsibility for town planning and the construction of [[Viceroy's House]] (now [[Rashtrapati Bhavan]]); [[Herbert Baker]], who had practised in [[South Africa]] for two decades, 1892–1912, joined in as the second in command. Baker took on the design of the next most important building, the Secretariat, which was the only building other than Viceroy's House to stand on [[Raisina Hill]]. As the work progressed relations between Lutyens and Baker deteriorated; the hill placed by Baker in front of Viceroy's House largely obscured Viceroy's House from view on the [https://centralvista.gov.in/central-vista-by-today.php Rajpath] from [[India Gate]], in breach of Lutyens' intentions; instead, only the top of the dome of Viceroy's House is visible from far away. To avoid this, Lutyens wanted the Secretariat to be of lower height than Viceroy's House, but Baker wanted it of the same height, and in the end it was Baker's intentions that were fulfilled.<ref name=htbb>{{cite news|title=The building Blocks of British empire|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/newdelhi/The-building-Blocks-of-British-empire/Article1-706587.aspx|newspaper=Hindustan Times|date=7 June 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807201346/http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/newdelhi/The-building-Blocks-of-British-empire/Article1-706587.aspx|archive-date=7 August 2011}}</ref>

After the capital of India moved to Delhi, a temporary secretariat building was constructed in a few months in 1912 in [[North Delhi]]. Most of the government offices of the new capital moved here from the 'Old Secretariat' in [[Old Delhi]], a decade before the new capital was inaugurated in 1931. Many employees were brought into the new capital from distant parts of [[British India]], including the [[Bengal Presidency]] and [[Madras Presidency]]. Subsequently, housing for them was developed around [[Gole Market]] area.<ref name=ht>{{cite news |title=Capital story: Managing a New Delhi |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/Capital-story-Managing-a-New-Delhi/Article1-740284.aspx |newspaper=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=1 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121208125953/http://www.hindustantimes.com/Capital-story-Managing-a-New-Delhi/Article1-740284.aspx |archive-date=8 December 2012 }}</ref>

The Old Secretariat Building now houses the [[Delhi Legislative Assembly]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Architectural marvels for the new capital|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/newdelhi/Architectural-marvels-for-the-new-capital/Article1-723169.aspx|newspaper=Hindustan Times|date=20 July 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141102085932/http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/newdelhi/Architectural-marvels-for-the-new-capital/Article1-723169.aspx|archive-date=2 November 2014}}</ref> The nearby [[Sansad Bhavan|Parliament House]] was built much later, and hence was not constructed around the axis of Rajpath. Construction of Parliament House was begun in 1921, and the building was inaugurated in 1927.

Today, the area is served by the [[Central Secretariat (Delhi Metro)|Central Secretariat]] station of the [[Delhi Metro]].

==Architecture==
[[File:Simon Fieldhouse, Drawing of the Secretariat Building, New Delhi (2007).jpg|left|145px|thumb|[[Elevation (view)#Elevation|Elevation]] of Secretariat Building, showing the four ''[[chhatri]]s'' around the central dome.]]
[[File:Secretariat_Building,_New_Delhi_by_Shagil_Kannur_3.jpg|thumb|Secretariat Building, New Delhi at night]]
The Secretariat Building was designed by the prominent [[United Kingdom|British]] architect [[Herbert Baker]] in [[Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture]]. Both the identical buildings have four levels, each with about 1,000 rooms, in the inner courtyards to make space for future expansions. In continuation with the Viceroy's House, these buildings also used cream and red [[Dholpur]] sandstone from Rajasthan, with the red sandstone forming the base. Together the buildings were designed to form two squares. They have broad corridors between different wings and wide stairways to the four floors and each building is topped by a giant dome, while each wings end with [[colonnade]]d balcony.

Much of the building is in classical architectural style, yet it incorporated from [[Mughal architecture|Mughal]] and [[Rajasthani architecture]] style and motifs in its architecture. These are visible in the use of ''[[Jali]]'', perforated screens, to protect from scorching sun and monsoon rains of India. Another feature of the building is a dome-like structure known as the ''[[Chatri]]'', a design unique to India, used in ancient times to give relief to travellers by providing shade from the hot Indian sun.

The style of architecture used in Secretariat Building is unique to Raisina Hill. In front of the main gates on buildings are the four "dominion columns", given by Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. At the time of their unveiling in 1930, India was also supposed to become a [[British dominion]] soon. However, India became independent within the next 17 years and the Secretariat became the seat of power of a sovereign India. In the years to follow the building ran out of accommodation.<ref name=htbb/>

==Photos of The Secretariat Building==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150px">
File:The Secretariat Building Dome in New Delhi, India.jpg|The Secretariat Building Dome in New Delhi, India
File:The Secretariat Building in New Delhi, India.jpg|The Secretariat Building in New Delhi, India
File:North Block, Secretariat Building, New Delhi - 1.jpg|The North Block catching rays of the early morning sun.
File:New Delhi government block 03-2016 img1.jpg|The [[North Block]] houses key government offices.
File:Central dome of Secretariat Building, New Delhi.jpg|Central dome of Secretariat Building, New Delhi.
File:Rashtrapati Bhavan dawn - IMG 2053-6.JPG|Colonnaded balconies and the tower with [[Flag of India|Indian flag]].
File:Rashtrapati Bhavan Illuminated on Republic Day-2010 Eve.jpg|Secretariat Building illuminated on Republic Day.
Image:Rashtrapati Bhavan-Delhi-India4445.JPG|[[Prime Minister's Office (India)|Prime Minister's Office]], also showing the "Dominion Column".
Image:thesecretariatbuildingsindelhi.JPG|The Secretariat Building, with North Block (left) and South Block (right), view looking towards [[India Gate]] in the east.
</gallery>

===Similarities with Union Buildings, Pretoria===
{|class="wikitable" align="right" width="50%" style="font-size:90%;"
|+[[Union Buildings]] Pretoria and Secretariat Building, New Delhi, both designed by Herbert Baker
|width="50%" align="center" valign="right"|[[File:RSA Pretoria 12.jpg|180px]]
|width="50%" align="center" valign="right"|[[File:Indiagovtdelhi.JPG|180px]]
|-
|valign="right"| The Bell tower and colonnaded balcony, Union Buildings
|valign="right"| The Bell tower and colonnaded balcony, Secretariat Building
|-
|}
Prior to coming to India, Baker had an established practice in South Africa over twenty years and designed various prominent buildings there, especially the [[Union Buildings]], in [[Pretoria]], built from 1910 to 1913, though designed in 1908. It is the official seat of the [[South African government]], house the offices of the [[President of South Africa]], and like the Secretariat Building, it also sits atop a hill, known as the [[Meintjieskop]].

But the similarities between the two building show a clear influence of the former, especially in the basic structure of two wings and colonnaded balconies at the end with almost identical symmetrical bell towers. Both buildings have a similar symmetrical design in case of the Union Building the two wings are joined by a semi-circular colonnade, while with Secretariat building, the North and South Blocks are separated and face each other. The colour scheme is reversed while the roof of Union Building is covered with red tiles, in secretariat red sandstone is used in the ground floor walls only, the rest is the same pale sandstone.<ref name=htbb/>

==Ministries and offices in the Secretariat Building==

The Secretariat Building houses the following ministries:
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto;"
|+ '''Housing of the Secretariat Building:'''
! scope="col" | Ministry/Department Serial
! scope="col" | Name of Ministry/Department
! scope="col" | Ministry/Department abbreviated as
! scope="col" | Block
|-
| Ministry No. 1 || [[Ministry of Defence (India)|Ministry of Defence]] || MoD || South
|-
| Ministry No. 2 || [[Ministry of Finance (India)|Ministry of Finance]] || MoF || North
|-
| Ministry No. 3 || [[Ministry of External Affairs (India)|Ministry of External Affairs]] || MEA || South
|-
| Ministry No. 4 || [[Ministry of Home Affairs (India)|Ministry of Home Affairs]] || MHA || North
|-
| Office || [[Prime Minister's Office (India)|Prime Minister's Office]] || PMO || South
|-
|Office || [[Cabinet Secretariat of India|Cabinet Secretariat]] || CS || South
|-
|Office || [[Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs]] || CBIC || North
|-
|Office || [[Chairperson, Central Board of Direct Taxes|Central Board of Direct Taxes]] || CBDT || North
|-
|Office || [[National Security Council (India)|National Security Council]] || NSC || South
|-
|}

The Secretariat Building consists of two buildings: the North Block and the South Block. Both the buildings flank the [[Rashtrapati Bhavan]].

* The '''South Block''' houses the [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]]'s [[Prime Minister's Office (India)|Office]], Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of External Affairs.
* The '''North Block''' primarily houses the Ministry of Finance and the Home Ministry.

The terms 'North Block' and 'South Block' are often used to refer to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of External Affairs respectively.

==See also==
* [[Rajpath]]
* [[Rashtrapati Bhavan]]
* [[India Gate]]

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Secretariat Building, New Delhi}}
* [http://cabsec.nic.in/ Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India, Official website]
*[http://meaindia.nic.in/onmouse/southblock.htm Ministry of External Affairs' website: About South Block]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110218012526/http://www.simonfieldhouse.com/india.htm Historic Architecture of "New Delhi" - India]

{{Delhi landmarks|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Government buildings in Delhi]]
[[Category:Cabinet Secretariat of India]]
[[Category:Sandstone buildings in India]]
[[Category:Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture]]
[[Category:Herbert Baker buildings and structures]]

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Secretariat Building, New Delhi