The Indian Army is all set to get new headquarters called “Thal Sena Bhawan” in the Delhi Cantonment area, as an off-shoot of the Modi government's Central Vista redevelopment project, reports Shreya Dhoundiyal in News18.com. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will conduct the “bhoomi-poojan” for the new headquarters on 21 February, Friday.
On Friday, 21 February, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone for construction of a new Army headquarter building in Delhi Cantonment.
"We have laid the first stone of the new Sena Bhawan. It will represent the unsung heroes of the armed forces who have sacrificed their lives for the country," he said.
According to PTI, the new Army headquarters, "Thal Sena Bhawan" will be spread over 39 acres, and will come up near the Manekshaw Centre in the Delhi Cantonment area in the next five years.
It will have the capacity to accommodate 6,000 personnel and will also have a residential complex. It’s been reported that the Army chief will also have an office in the upcoming Bhawan in the Delhi Cantonment area.
The proposed Central Vista redevelopment project plans to convert North and South block into musuems. The South Block — where currently the Chief of Army staff sits — is a part of the historic Raisina Hill complex in Lutyens' Delhi. Currently, Director General of Military Operations and their branch also have their offices in the South Block — apart from the Sena Bhawan at Rajaji Marg which is near South Block.
A senior Army officer speaking to News18.com about the facilities at South Block said, "Is this where a disciplined force like the Indian Army should be working out from? Dogs and monkeys roam around like the place belongs to them. The bathrooms are smelly. It takes away from the Army's sheen.”
Shreya Dhoundial in News18.com writes that according to sources, “directorates and departments confined only to the Army would reportedly be shifted to the Thal Sena Bhawan.” The demand for a new Army headquarters for more efficient and centralised administration has been a long-standing one.
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