Pragati Maidan all set for a makeover

FOUR DAYS after the demolition of the Hall of Nations, the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) has released the layout plan for the redevelopment of Pragati Maidan.

The Integrated Exhibition and Convention Centre (IECC) project involves seven exhibition halls, a convention centre, an administrative block, and an underground parking. Chairmanmanaging Director L C Goyal said that the traffic plan in and around Pragati Maidan will happen simultaneously with the project.

The architects for the Rs 2,254-cr project are Delhibased Arcop Associates and Singapore-based Aedas Pvt Ltd.

ITPO is confident of holding its auto and defence expos within the exhibition halls clad in aluminium panels and glass . There will be single halls of 1,000 square metre (sqm) and continuous spaces of 25,000 sqm. The elliptical Convention Centre (50,000 sqm) encased in red stone, Dholpur white stone, Glass Reinforced Concrete and glass, with its curved-sloping facade and a 4.5 m elevated podium, will have over 28 meeting rooms, and multi-function halls. On the rooftop will be three helipads, 100m x 100m each, in keeping with international requirements of such sites.

What Goyal is proud to talk about is the six-lane underground tunnel that will connect Mathura Road to Ring Road, and will cut across the 130-acre Pragati Maidan complex. This plan will make Mathura Road signal free, allowing smooth access for visitors.

While the entire complex has over 2,400 trees, Goyal assures that the 15-acre landscaped area in the redevelopment plan will have its own variety of trees. “We have got the necessary permission from the Delhi Forest Department, and Delhi Development Authority has assured that they will provide land where we can plant more trees elsewhere in the city,” he said.

“This will be a landmark project, where southeast Asian nations can hold exhibitions. People have memories of the buildings here, but we are doing new things for architecture. Both the Convention Centre and the Administrative Block have the highest GRIHA ratings,” he added.