Doesn’t the name Central Secretariat sound important? It should because it is. The Central Secretariat stands here as a testament to India’s governance. These buildings house the most important offices and ministries of the Government of India.
The Secretariat Building consists of two symmetrical blocks. These are the North Block and the South Block. They stand opposite each other. Kartavya Path runs between them. Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President’s House, flanks them. Together, the North Block and South Block form the Central Secretariat.
Let’s step back in time. The planning of New Delhi began in 1911. This was after Delhi became the capital of the British Indian Empire. Edwin Lutyens was assigned the town planning. He was also responsible for constructing Viceroy’s House. This is now Rashtrapati Bhavan. Herbert Baker joined as second in command. He designed the Secretariat Building.
Interestingly, relations between Lutyens and Baker deteriorated. Baker placed a hill that obscured Viceroy’s House. Lutyens wanted the Secretariat to be lower than Viceroy’s House. Baker wanted them the same height. Baker’s intentions prevailed. Only the top of the dome of Viceroy’s House is visible from afar.
The Central Secretariat’s construction was contracted by Sardar Bahadur Basakha Singh Sandhu and Sardar Bahadur Sir Sobha Singh. Imagine the scale of such a project.
A temporary secretariat building was constructed in North Delhi in 1912. This happened in just a few months. Government offices moved here from the Old Secretariat in Old Delhi. This was a decade before the new capital’s inauguration in 1931. Many employees came from distant parts of British India. Housing was developed for them around the Gole Market area.
The Old Secretariat Building now houses the Delhi Legislative Assembly. The nearby Parliament House was built later. It was not constructed around the axis of Rajpath. Its construction started in 1921. It was inaugurated in 1927.
Herbert Baker designed the Secretariat Building in Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture. Both buildings have four levels. Each level has about 1,000 rooms. These rooms are in the inner courtyards. This design allowed for future expansions.
The buildings use cream and red Dholpur sandstone from Rajasthan. The red sandstone forms the base. Together, the buildings form two squares. They have broad corridors and wide stairways. Each building is topped by a giant dome. Each wing ends with a colonnaded balcony.
The Central Secretariat incorporates Mughal and Rajasthani motifs. Look for the Jali. These are perforated screens. They offer shade. The Chatri are dome-shaped pavilions.
The architecture here is unique to Raisina Hill. In front of the main gates are four dominion columns. These were gifts from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. India was supposed to become a British dominion then. But India became independent soon after. The Secretariat became the seat of power of a sovereign India.
The North Block primarily houses the Ministry of Finance and the Home Ministry. The South Block houses the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Defence, and the Ministry of External Affairs. The terms North Block and South Block often refer to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of External Affairs.
Before coming to India, Herbert Baker designed the Union Buildings in Pretoria, South Africa. The similarities are clear. Both buildings have two wings. Both have colonnaded balconies. They even have similar symmetrical bell towers. The Union Buildings have a semi-circular colonnade. The Secretariat Building has separated North and South Blocks. The color scheme is reversed. The Union Building has red tiles on the roof. The Secretariat uses red sandstone at the base.
Today, the Central Secretariat serves as the heart of Indian governance. It’s a place where decisions shape the nation’s future. The Central Secretariat continues to stand tall.