Ahmedabad firm wins Rs 1,344-cr contract to build SMC twin tower

The towers will be constructed on the old Sub Jail land of the state government at Ring Road with a built up area of 2.20 lakh square meter’s. Interestingly, the ground-breaking ceremony of SMC’s new administrative building was done by the then Chief Minister Anandiben Patel in 2014. However, the project later passed through different stages and was delayed as changes were done in the structural design.

According to the latest plan, each tower will be 105.3 meter’s  high and will have four basement parking’s where 4,400 vehicles can be parked at a time. Tower A will have the SMC offices of 35 different departments, while Tower B will have state government and Central government offices. The buildings will also have a civic centre, library, security and surveillance room, and offices of the elected representatives.

SMC sources said there will be 36 lifts and a boardroom that can accommodate 200 people, a standing committee room with a seating capacity of 100 people, and six committee rooms each having a capacity of 35 people. A solar plant will be installed on the rooftop. The lower-level terrace floor will be used for staffers with multi recreational activities.

The SMC, currently running out of Mughal Sarai—a heritage building in the old city of Surat, has received requests from 112 state government departments (1.08 lakh sq metre) and 10 central government departments (7,000 sq metre), including the Goods and Services Tax department, the Enforcement Directorate and Postal Department to book space at the new towers.

“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,” said Ketan Desai, SMC City Engineer Special Cell.

While the earlier plan was to house SMC offices in both towers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had advised to accommodate offices of different departments of the state and Central governments in the buildings so that people can get their work done at one place.

It is learnt that PSP will also hold the rights to operation and maintenance of the twin towers for five years. The firm has completed other government projects such as the renovation of the Gujarat Assembly building in Gandhinagar, the CG Road Redevelopment and the Sabarmati Riverfront, and is currently building the Surat Diamond Bourse at Khajod the contract value for which is Rs 1,575 crore.