Vadodara: The city is set to witness a government infrastructure upgrade, with plans to construct a new eight-storey Narmada Bhuvan at an estimated cost of ₹100 crore. At the same time, the existing Narmada Bhuvan and Kuber Bhuvan, both located in the Kothi compound, will undergo structural retrofitting to make them earthquake resistant.

The decision follows a recent Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department inspection of around 40 government buildings in the city. The two heritage structures, which together house 40–45 government offices, were found to be in extremely poor condition. The Public Works Department (PWD) has issued notices to vacate nearly 90 offices within 20 days to begin the revamp.

More than 1,500 employees work in these buildings, with an estimated 2,500–3,000 people visiting daily. Relocating these offices is expected to pose a significant logistical challenge for the administration.

According to Rajeshwari Nair, Executive Engineer of the Vadodara R&B Department, the inspection was part of routine checks, though urgency increased following the Gambhira Bridge collapse. Both Narmada Bhuvan and Kuber Bhuvan were deemed to be in extremely poor condition, prompting the decision to retrofit them.

The retrofitting work will cost about ₹7 crore, with the Narmada Bhuvan project expected to take six months and Kuber Bhuvan nine months. Land acquisition for the new Narmada Bhuvan is already underway. DeshGujarat