Cover Story
I
September 2021
n Conversation With LC GOYAL
CHAIRMAN AND MD, INDIA TRADE PROMOTION ORGANISATION (ITPO) The redevelopment of Pragati Maidan is a project of national importance and envisages setting up of a world class iconic state of the art International Exhibition and Convention Centre (IECC) with latest modern architectural design. According to the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2015, a comprehensive revamp plan of Pragati Maidan - called the Integrated Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC) project - was conceptualised by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO). The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved it in January 2017 for implementation in a mission mode. The scale and size of the IECC project - with an estimated cost of Rs 2,698 crore - is enormous. It has a total built-up area of 4.2 million sq. ft, comprising an iconic, world-class convention centre that can accommodate 7,000 people in a single format, six modern exhibition halls with an exhibition area of 1.5 lakh sqm and plenty of underground parking facilities and good infrastructure connectivity to encourage use of public transportation, but also allow roads to decongest fast. The exhibition and convention centre is located 18 km from the international airport and only 2.5 km from the main business area of Connaught Place. The redevelopment of the 50-year-old exhibition centre, Pragati Maidan Complex, is about to finish. Even though the old complex was India's leading exhibition centre, the introduction of the new and modern world class Integrated-Exhibition-cum-Convention-Centre, IECC, will make it even better. The plan also envisages monetisation of 3.70 acres of land at Pragati Maidan by allowing a third party to set up a 5-star hotel. The convention centre is the masterpiece of the project. It will be a 36.4-m-tall structure on a raised platform with elliptical façade, modern architecture and unique artworks with inspiration from Parliament House and Rashtrapati Bhawan, with a huge front plaza that, inter alia, includes a 7,000-sqm water body with a laser musical fountain It also includes a comprehensive traffic decongestion plan including an underground tunnel passing through Pragati Maidan, and making Mathura Road signal free, with a basement parking facilities for 4800 vehicles.
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