India Trade Promotion Organisation
(A Government of India Enterprise)
Pragati Bhawan, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi-110001
Phone No. : +91-11-23371829
No. ITPO/EMD/IECC/Misc/2016
May 30 June 3, 2016
Shri P R Swarup
Member Secretary, ECI
1304, Hemkunt Chambers
89, Nehru Place
New Delhi - 110019

Sir,

This bears reference of your letter dated May 24, 2016, addressed to the Hon'ble Prime Minister and copy to Manager (Admn), India Trade Promotion Organisation.

  1. In this matter, it is informed that Hall Number 6 (Hall of Nations) is not a specified Heritage Structure as claimed by you. The matter relating to demolition of Hall of Nations has been examined by the Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC) in its 49th meeting held on 02.05.2016. The HCC observed that under the relevant clauses of United Building bye-laws of Delhi, the HCC regulations apply only to heritage sites precincts/Naural feature areas, the list of which has been notified by the Government of NCT of Delhi. The Committee has observed that Hall Number 6 of Pragati Maidan premises (Hall of Nations) does not figure in the notified list of heritage buildings/precincts/Natural feature areas. Accordingly, the request of the petitioners was rejected by the Committee.
  2. It needs to be appreciated that the non-AC exhibition and infrastructure facilities in Pragati Maidan are outdated. Built in the 1950s and 1970s, some of these halls are in dilapidated condition and the remaining halls that were built between 1980s and 1990s, need upgradation. Some of them have very low usable exhibition space with inadequate in-built support services. It is necessary to dismantle these Halls to set up an integrated modern world class State of the art Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC) at Pragati Maidan. IECC is a project that goes beyond Pragati Maidan and will also add immensely to the. profile of the City of Delhi.
  3. The Hall of Nations has provided an iconic identity to the Pragati Maidan exhibition complex over the years. However, the same has outlived its utility for holding exhibitions as per needs of modern exhibition industry. The ITPO's-Board of Directors, in its 195th meeting, held on 29/12/2015, took into cognizance the objections raised by some architects relating to preserving certain buildings like Hall of Nations etc. It was decided that retaining these buildings will be in contradiction of ITPO's mandate and Pragati Maidan land use as per MPD-2021.
  4. It is hoped that this position is appreciated by you.
Yours Faithfully
[signed]
(J. Guna Sekaran)
Copy: Shri Mahendra Raj
From: Dr. Swarup