Central Secretariat, India

Central Secretariat, India
Name	Central Secretariat
Location	New Delhi
Completion date	1912–1931
Architect	Edwin Lutyens, Herbert Baker
Owner	Government of India
Style	Indo-Saracenic architecture, Imperial architecture

Central Secretariat, India

The Central Secretariat complex in New Delhi is the principal administrative hub of the Government of India located along Rajpath and surrounding the Rashtrapati Bhavan precinct. It houses ministries such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of External Affairs, and connects to institutions including the Parliament of India, Supreme Court of India, and India Gate memorial axis. Designed during the British Delhi Durbar era by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, the complex remains integral to decisions involving the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service, and other central cadres.

History

The Secretariat's origins trace to the planning of New Delhi following the 1911 transfer of the Indian capital from Calcutta to Delhi after the Delhi Durbar of 1911. Key stages include the laying out of the Imperial Delhi masterplan by George V's proclamation, construction of the Secretariat Buildings from 1912 to 1931, and inauguration alongside the Viceroy's House (now Rashtrapati Bhavan). Post-Independence developments involved repurposing colonial offices for ministers of the Republic of India, adaptations during the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, and shifts tied to policies from administrations of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The complex has witnessed events such as proclamations related to the Emergency (India) and measures during crises including the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, the 1999 Kargil War, and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in India.

Architecture and Layout

The Secretariat consists of two long symmetrical blocks—North Block and South Block—flanking Rashtrapati Bhavan and forming part of the Lutyens' Delhi ensemble with vistas along Kartavya Path (formerly Rajpath). Architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker blended classical Western architecture motifs with regional elements found in Indo-Saracenic architecture, producing features such as colonnades, domes, rustication, and chhatris. Materials include sandstone and granite sourced from regions like Rajasthan and motifs reference Mughal Empire and Maurya Empire precedents. Internally, the layout comprises ministerial offices, secretarial corridors, committee rooms, and archives linked by service roads to the North Block's Finance chambers and the South Block's Defence interface with the Indian Armed Forces, creating a hierarchical circulation structured for protocol with proximity to Parliament House and the Viceroy's House axis.

Departments and Offices

North Block traditionally hosts fiscal and security-related ministries including the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Home Affairs, and agencies like the Reserve Bank of India liaison offices and the Central Bureau of Investigation's central coordination points. South Block contains the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of External Affairs, and diplomatic liaison units linked to missions such as the High Commission of India, London and the Embassy of the United States, New Delhi. Other occupants across the Secretariat include the Cabinet Secretariat, the Prime Minister's Office, the Election Commission of India, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, and statutory bodies like the Goods and Services Tax Council secretariat. Ministries overseeing sectors like Railway Board, Ministry of Communications, and the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions maintain cells or coordination desks within adjacent central offices.

Role and Functions

The Secretariat functions as the nerve centre for executive administration, policy formulation, and inter-ministerial coordination for matters ranging from fiscal policy to external relations. It supports constitutional processes involving the President of India, the Prime Minister of India, and collective decision-making by the Union Cabinet. Secretarial staff prepare briefs, notifications, and orders under statutes such as the Indian Independence Act 1947 and regulatory frameworks including the Income Tax Act, 1961 where applicable. The complex also facilitates interactions with constitutional institutions like the Parliament of India during budget sessions and with enforcement agencies including the Central Board of Direct Taxes and the National Investigation Agency for administrative action.

Administration and Staffing

Administrative control is vested in ministries and administrative services staffed predominantly by officers of the Indian Administrative Service, supported by cadres like the Indian Foreign Service, Indian Police Service, and technical officers recruited through the Union Public Service Commission. Staffing patterns include ministerial secretaries, joint secretaries, deputy secretaries, and section officers who coordinate policy files and Cabinet notes processed by the Cabinet Secretariat. Personnel management follows rules under the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules and recruitment, promotion, and disciplinary processes involve agencies such as the Department of Personnel and Training and the Central Vigilance Commission.

Security and Access

Security is provided by coordinated deployment of the Parliament Security Service, Central Reserve Police Force, Delhi Police, and the Special Protection Group for VVIP protection around Rashtrapati Bhavan and ministerial residences. Access protocols incorporate passes issued under norms from the Ministry of Home Affairs and screening managed by agencies like the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security at nearby transit nodes including New Delhi railway station and Indira Gandhi International Airport. The complex has designated vehicular and pedestrian checkpoints, restricted zones, and emergency response plans coordinated with the National Disaster Management Authority.

Notable Events and Incidents

The Secretariat has been the locus of major state actions and incidents: the transfer of power ceremonies at Independence in 1947 involving figures such as Jawaharlal Nehru and Lord Mountbatten of Burma, the declaration of the Emergency (India) in 1975 with administrative orders issued from ministerial offices, and security breaches resulting in inquiries by the Central Bureau of Investigation. Protests and demonstrations near India Gate and Janpath have prompted responses coordinated from the Secretariat, including crisis meetings during the 1992–1993 Bombay riots, the 2001 Indian Parliament attack fallout, and policy mobilizations during the 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement led by activists linked with the India Against Corruption campaign.

Category:Government of India Category:Buildings and structures in New Delhi Category:Edwin Lutyens buildings