Siri Fort Auditorium Redevelopment: NBCC's Global Cultural Hub Plan

New Delhi, Jul 3 (PTI) State-owned NBCC Ltd has signed an initial pact with National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) to renovate and redevelop the iconic 5.5-acre Siri Fort Auditorium complex in the national capital into a world-class cultural destination.

Siri Fort Auditorium, located in South Delhi, was constructed in 1982 during the Asian Games. It currently has four auditoriums with a combined seating of over 2,600. In the past four decades, the auditorium complex has hosted global film festivals, musical events and public events.

In a regulatory filing on Thursday, NBCC informed that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with NFDC for the "comprehensive renovation and redevelopment of Siri Fort Auditorium Complex".

NBCC will be the Project Management Consultant (PMC) for redevelopment of Siri Fort Auditorium complex. The NFDC will bear the project cost along with PMC charges.

The estimated cost to redevelop this auditorium has not been disclosed.

A senior NBCC official said that the new complex will be constructed in a time period of two years after getting all the approvals from the NFDC, which is under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Under the proposed design, Siri Fort complex's built-up area will expand to more than 20,000 square metres, with a maximum permissible building height of 26 metres. It will conform to global green building benchmarks such as LEED, IGBC, and GRIHA and also comply with all regulatory codes, heritage guidelines.

A Joint Empowered Committee, which will be chaired by a designated NFDC officer, will monitor the execution of the project.

NBCC has redeveloped many projects in Delhi, including Pragati Maidan.

Elaborating on the redevelopment project, NBCC said, "The initiative aims to transform Siri Fort into a world-class, accessible cultural destination and a vibrant hub for India's creative ecosystem".

Stating that the new complex has been envisioned as a "vibrant cultural district", NBCC said the 'Performance and Theatre District' will serve as the venue's cultural heartbeat, and will host large-scale productions, concerts and festivals.

The 'Indian Film & Media Hub' will celebrate cinema through screenings, exhibitions and archival storytelling.

A 'Convention and Dialogue Forum' will be the stage for policy summits, seminars, and intellectual exchange, while the 'Arts and Culture Zone' will offer spaces for visual arts, sculpture, and installations.

The new complex will also house 'Culinary Plaza' showcasing India's regional cuisines as well as 'Cultural Bazaar and Retail Zone'.

"The revamped Siri Fort complex would feature intelligent lighting systems, kinetic stage architecture, immersive audio-visual setups, high-speed digital connectivity, and universal accessibility, ensuring it competes with the world's top cultural destinations," NBCC said.

The state-owned firm is into PMC and real estate business.