PIB, February 21

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone of new Army Headquarters ‘Thal Sena Bhawan’ at Delhi Cantt. today. Addressing soldiers on the occasion, Shri Rajnath Singh said, all the departments of the Army as well as the Department of Military Affairs will come under one roof and collectively contribute towards national security, besides effectively dealing with defence-related issues. He added that the new building will play a significant role in saving valuable resources and contribute to administrative efficiency. Raksha Mantri termed the foundation stone of the new building as a ‘source of inspiration that will remind the people of the country about the sacrifices made by our soldiers’.

Shri Rajnath Singh credited the Armed Forces personnel for making an invaluable contribution towards nation building, saying that India has emerged as one of the most powerful nations due to the sacrifices made by the soldiers. He hoped that the new building will not just be an edifice of Army personnel and civilian defence staff, but will inspire the people to achieve new goals with renewed passion and enthusiasm.

Raksha Mantri also underlined the importance of greater jointness and integration among the Armed Forces, noting that the appointment of Chief of the Defence Staff and creation of Department of Military Affairs are some of the important steps in that direction. He expressed confidence that this jointness will help in increasing the military capabilities of the country and bring more synergy in handling defence-related issues.

The new building, proposed in an area of 39 acres, has been conceptualised as a multi-storey green building, adopting Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) norms. Approx. 7.5 lakh square meters of area will be constructed to house the office complex and parking.

The building, expected to be constructed in five years, will house offices, residential complex for security personnel with basic amenities. More than 1,700 officers both military & civilian and 1,300 sub staff will be accommodated in the new building.

Presently, Army Headquarters is spread over several pockets i.e. South Block, Sena Bhawan, Hutments Area, RK Puram, Shankar Vihar and other places.