By IANS,
New Delhi: Delhi’s tallest building, the new 28-storey state-of-the-art civic centre that will house the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) should pave way for the national capital to become a world class city, Home Minister P. Chidambaram said Thursday.
“Delhi should become a world class city with the inauguration of this multifaceted civic centre – the Doctor Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Civic Centre,” Chidambaram said after inaugurating the building.
“There should be no compromise in quality. Like the Delhi Metro and the new stadia which have been constructed for Commonwealth Games, Delhiites should be proud of this building,” Chidambaram said.
He added that the “work of the civic centre doesn’t stop with the inauguration” and that every road, electricity connection and park in Delhi should be “touched by quality”.
“Delhi being India’s national capital should have a good civic administration. Though the civic centre has been long overdue, it will be a great landmark,” Chidambaram added.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led municipality has named the civic centre after Shyama Prasad Mukherjee who founded the Hindutva ideologue Bharatiya Jana Sangh.
“This newly-constructed civic centre building is aptly named after doctor Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, a great leader,” L.K. Advani, senior BJP leader, said.
Also present at the inauguration were Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit and BJP leader Sushma Swaraj.
“After important tourist destinations like Lal Qila, Qutub Minar and Akshardham temple in Delhi, this tallest building will also be an important tourist destination,” Sushma Swaraj said.
Dikshit said: “The civic centre has been built under the green building concept. The auditorium with a 1,000 seating capacity is an attractive feature.”
The 112 metre high building has been built at a cost of Rs.650 crore.
The building has waiting areas, fountains, and an open-air theatre besides many other facilities.