End of an era at South Block as Seva Teerth becomes new PMO, PM Modi to inaugurate today

A chapter in India’s administrative history formally closes today as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates Seva Teerth , the new home of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) , marking its first relocation from the historic South Block since Independence. The Prime Minister will also inaugurate Kartavya Bhavan 1 and 2 , key components of the Central Vista project. The ceremony begins at 1.30 pm , followed by a public address at the Seva Teerth complex around 6 pm .

Ahead of the shift, Mr Modi will chair a special Union Cabinet meeting at South Block at 4 pm today , the last such gathering at the British-era secretariat building before the PMO moves to its new complex. Official sources said this would be the Cabinet’s final meeting in the PMO located in the imperial complex designed by British architect Herbert Baker in the early 1900s, bringing to a close more than a century of administrative use of the North and South Blocks, which have been the seat of power since 1921 .

Seva Teerth , earlier known as the Executive Enclave , has been conceived as a consolidated executive hub. It will house the PMO , the Cabinet Secretariat , and the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) under one roof, replacing offices that were earlier spread across multiple locations. The complex features digitally integrated workspaces, open-plan offices, high-tech meeting rooms and structured public interface zones aimed at improving coordination and efficiency.

Adjacent Kartavya Bhavan 1 and 2 will accommodate several major central ministries, including Finance , Defence , Health and Family Welfare , Education , Corporate Affairs , Culture , Law and Justice , Information and Broadcasting , Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare , Chemicals and Fertilisers , and Tribal Affairs , enabling closer inter-ministerial coordination.

Both Seva Teerth and the Kartavya Bhavan buildings have been constructed to 4-Star GRIHA environmental standards , incorporating renewable energy systems, water conservation measures, efficient waste management, and advanced security infrastructure such as smart access controls and surveillance networks.

The relocation is part of the government’s broader effort to decolonise India’s administrative architecture . Once vacated, the North and South Blocks are slated to be converted into the ‘Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum’ , envisioned as a world-class institution tracing India’s civilisational journey.

Built over 2,26,203 sq ft at an estimated cost of ₹1,189 crore by Larsen & Toubro for the CPWD, Seva Teerth comprises separate blocks for the PMO, Cabinet Secretariat and NSCS. More than a change of address, today’s inauguration is being framed as a transformative milestone in building a modern, efficient and citizen-centric governance ecosystem.