A contract of Rs 1,344.01 crore has been awarded to PSP Projects Ltd (PPL), an Ahmedabad-based company, to construct the twin towers that would house the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC)’s administrative and other departments.
The standing committee on Monday approved the plan for the 27-story buildings, which are planned to be the highest in South Gujarat.
The state government’s former Sub Jail property at Ring Road, where the towers would be built, has a built-up area of 2.20 lakh square metres. It’s interesting to note that the then-Chief Minister Anandiben Patel performed the ground-breaking ceremony for SMC’s new administrative building in 2014.
However, since revisions were made to the structural design, the project later went through several stages and was delayed. Each skyscraper will stand 105.3 metres tall and feature four subterranean parking spaces that can accommodate 4,400 vehicles at once.
Tower B would house state and central government offices, while Tower A will house the SMC offices of 35 different departments. Along with the offices of the elected members, the buildings will also have a civic centre, library, security and monitoring room.
According to SMC sources, there will be 36 elevators, a boardroom with a capacity for 200 people, a standing committee room with 100 seats, and six committee rooms with a capacity of 35 people apiece. The rooftop will house a solar power plant. Staff members will use the lower-level terrace floor for a variety of recreational activities.
Ketan Desai, SMC City Engineer Special Cell said, “The value of the space allotment for these offices to the government department will be on per square feet depending on the formula of construction costs, operation and maintenance expenses and land value. We are working on this formula but various changes may come up in future. This project will be completed in three years, excluding the monsoon season. The expenses will be borne by SMC, the state government and the Central government.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged to include offices of various departments of the state and central governments in the buildings instead of the prior proposal to have SMC offices in both towers so that people could complete their work in one location.
According to information obtained, PSP will also have a five-year licence to operate and maintain the twin towers. The company has finished numerous public projects for the government, including the rehabilitation of the Gujarat Assembly building in Gandhinagar, the CG Road Redevelopment, and the Sabarmati Riverfront. It is presently building the Surat Diamond Bourse near Khajod, with a contract of Rs 1,575 crore.
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