Several government buildings in the Lutyens Delhi have been asked to remove the unsightly wires and other fittings, like air-coolers and air-conditioners to spruce up the aesthetic quotient of the area in the wake of the Commonwealth Games-2010.
Besides the central vista, which covers the area largely between the National Stadium and Rashtrapati Bhawan, some other buildings housing several ministries have been asked to spruce up the exteriors, sources said.
“Those taking care of these buildings have been asked to ensure that the haphazard arrangement of various additions like air-conditioners and coolers are removed and it gives an overall pleasant look,” said a highly-ranked official of the urban development ministry.
He added that the air-coolers were likely to removed by September.
Some of the buildings, which have been asked to carry out the sprucing up act, are Krishi Bhavan, which mainly houses the agricultural ministry, Rail Bhavan (housing railway ministry), Udyog Bhawan (heavy industry, commerce and steel, besides other ministries), Shastri Bhawan (housing PIB, HRD) and Nirman Bhawan (where Urban development and health ministries are located).
Sources said that these buildings were constructed over a period of time but were several decades old. The modern fittings were gradually added to these buildings as and when the need was felt. However, this has given the buildings a not-so-pleasant look, which may not send a good impression during the Games when the tourists come visiting. Hence, official sources said, the need for sprucing up.
These buildings, facing stress in terms of number of added electric fittings, had also witnessed many incidents of fire. A survey revealed that overuse of ACs was leading to fires due to short-circuits.