The Hands Behind Dilli Haat Janakpuri
—A Prose-Poetic Memoir of My Years in
DTTDC
On 25 June 2014, in the afternoon, I was officially relieved
from DTTDC after completing a full tenure of five years.
It was an administrative conclusion, recorded through an
office order and a joining report. Yet professional associations do not end as
promptly as the movement of a file. A person may be relieved on paper, but the
work, its people and its unfinished concerns continue to accompany him.
After my relief, I submitted my joining report at the office
of the Director General, CPWD. During a courtesy meeting, Mr. V.K. Gupta, DG,
asked where I had served before joining DTTDC. I informed him that I had
earlier worked in PWD Zone B-2 under Chief Engineer Shri V.K. Bansal.
I requested a suitable posting in CPWD and informed him that
I had physically reported for duty after completing my tenure in DTTDC. He
responded positively and welcomed me back to the department.
Later, I met the Special DG (S&P) and briefed him about
my return. I also met Mr. Surender Singh, DDG (P&S), regarding the joining
formalities. I was informed that the matter would be considered along with the
forthcoming list of transfers and postings after its clearance by the office of
the Director General.
Thus, administratively, I stood between two
assignments—relieved from one organisation and waiting to receive my place in
another.
Physically, however, there was hardly any immediate change.
The Chief Engineer, DTTDC, asked me to continue attending to the ongoing
responsibilities until my posting orders were issued and a substitute could
formally assume charge. Since I had already been relieved, responsibility for
my salary no longer rested with DTTDC; yet the work still required attention.
The official vehicle also remained available so that I could
continue attending to project responsibilities during this intervening period.
The same units, the same files, the same people and many of the same concerns
continued to surround me. The order had changed my administrative position, but
the working day still looked almost the same.
Before leaving, I wished to conclude whatever could
reasonably be completed. I prepared a list of pending matters and sought the
cooperation of the Executive Engineers attached to the project. They were
already occupied with numerous responsibilities, as engineers generally are,
but I trusted that everything possible would be managed in the larger interest
of the organisation.
At the centre of these remaining concerns stood Dilli Haat
Janakpuri.
The project had been completed and commissioned on 25 May
2014. During the weeks following its commissioning, the initial operational and
coordination problems were gradually addressed. Fortunately, there were no
major disruptions. The systems began settling into their intended rhythm, and
the newly created complex slowly started living the life for which it had been
conceived.
A project may be declared complete on a particular date, but
it does not become fully alive in a single moment. Buildings, services, people
and public activity must learn to function together. Every newly commissioned
project passes through this period of adjustment—almost like a body learning to
breathe in a new environment.
Dilli Haat Janakpuri had been conceived and steered under the
leadership of Chief Engineer Mr. Jose Kurian. His vision, encouragement, and
overall guidance remained central to the project—from its conceptual stage to
its gradual transformation into a substantial public complex.
Mr. G.G. Saxena, Managing Director, DTTDC, also took a keen
interest in the project. He helped initiate it, monitored its progress through
numerous meetings, and facilitated the funds and institutional support required
to carry it forward.
Vision may begin with an individual idea, but a public
project advances only when that idea receives administrative resolve,
professional commitment and sustained institutional support.
During the stages of conception and design, and at the
beginning of construction, Executive Engineer Raj Singh Naulakha and Assistant
Engineer Raj Kumar were closely associated with the project. Their contribution
formed an important part of the foundation upon which the subsequent work
advanced.
A long project passes through many hands and many stages.
Some people help conceive it, some begin its execution, some carry it through
its most demanding years, and others bring its buildings and systems to
completion. Each leaves an imprint, even when the finished structure no longer
reveals where one contribution ended and another began.
The principal architects of Dilli Haat Janakpuri were Saurabh
Gupta and Nabin Patra. The design consultancy had originally been awarded in
2007 to Archom Consults Pvt. Ltd., associated with Saurabh Gupta. Ar. Nabin was
then part of the organisation and later established his own consultancy
practice.
Ar. Nabin had previously worked with Architect Pradeep
Sachdeva on the Dilli Haat Pitampura project. His architectural imagination and
understanding of complex spatial systems contributed greatly to the conception
of Dilli Haat Janakpuri.
A healthy professional understanding developed among us. I
could speak freely, suggest corrections, and discuss practical difficulties
with him. He listened patiently, and ideas that could strengthen the work were
considered for implementation.
Such openness between architects and engineers is essential.
Imagination cannot disregard execution, just as engineering cannot remain
indifferent to architectural intent. A worthwhile project emerges when both
sides listen to each other.
Ar. Nabin, Er. Nilabh and I travelled to Rajkot and Mumbai to
inspect tensile-fabrication works being undertaken by Western Outdoor. We also
visited Odisha and Guwahati to study different species and applications of
bamboo. Other journeys, including visits to DTTDC’s Nand Prayag and further
towards Badrinath in Uttarakhand, added professional understanding as well as
cherished memories to our association.
Saurabh Gupta, a graduate of CEPT University, Ahmedabad,
brought talent and sustained effort to the project. His organisation
coordinated the architectural inputs and engaged specialist consultants for the
different systems.
Several architectural coordinators remained associated with
the project at various stages, including D.D. Sharma, Rachna Mittal, Sadhvi
Astir, Arti Kulkarni and, subsequently, Subur. People joined, contributed and
moved ahead; the project absorbed something from each of them.
Architecture provided the visible language of the complex,
but numerous specialised systems had to work quietly within and around that
visible form.
The heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems were
designed with the involvement of M/s Abid Hussain and its representatives.
The public-health consultant, Mr. S.S. Bhatia, designed the
water-supply, sanitary and plumbing works, including gardening services,
firefighting provisions, the water-treatment plant and sewage-treatment plant.
His scope also included hydropneumatic systems for underground water and STP
tanks, along with plumbing and piping arrangements serving the basement sumps.
Much of this work would remain hidden from visitors, yet the
comfort and functioning of the entire campus depended upon it.
Landscape architect Luna Basu designed the external hardscape
and horticultural scheme, bringing softness and visual continuity to the built
environment.
Mr. Pankaj Gupta of Roark Consultants was associated with the
structural consultancy. His team included Mr. D.K. Rastogi, who worked
principally on the craft shops, and Mr. Pankaj Chaudhary, who remained
associated with the project for a significant period.
Dr. A.K. Mittal, a retired Chief Engineer of CPWD and an
experienced structural designer, served as the proof consultant. The project
contained difficult structural forms subjected to substantial vertical and
lateral loads—curvilinear and trapezoidal forms, along with underground and
overhead structures.
He examined the structural designs and drawings and responded
promptly with observations and suggestions. There were numerous discussions on
difficult cases, but his experience repeatedly helped the team discover
workable and economical solutions.
Before a structure rises above the ground, much of its
strength has already been shaped through calculations, drawings, discussions,
and repeated checking. Those who safeguard this unseen stage may never be
noticed by visitors, but the permanence of the structure quietly carries their
contribution.
With the design and specialised consultancy framework in
place, the responsibility of turning drawings into physical reality rested upon
the departmental execution team and the agencies working at the site.
During the subsequent stages, Executive Engineers Nilabh and
Ajoy Kumar worked diligently. I remained engaged in supervision and guidance,
while Chief Engineer Mr. Jose Kurian’s encouragement and overall monitoring
helped us maintain direction.
Among the Assistant Engineers, Supinder Singh and S.A. Khan
proved sincere and hardworking. Working under Er. Nilabh, they attended to the
duties entrusted to them and managed their responsibilities in close
coordination with the team.
Shri Ram Avatar Jain, DTTDC’s consultant serving as Assistant
Engineer (Electrical), diligently supervised the electrical and mechanical
works.
No achievement of this scale belongs to one person. Everyone
associated with the project supported it according to individual
responsibility, and the work gradually emerged as a collective success.
Swadeshi Civil Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd., headed by Mr. Ram
Avtar, undertook the principal civil works, internal electrical installations
and steel-plate-girder works, together with the interiors of the Auditorium.
The organisation executed a substantial part of the project and managed works
of considerable scale.
The HVAC package was undertaken by LG Electronics through
competitive bidding, with Er. Alok Bharti playing an important role in its
execution.
The substation and low-tension-panel works were handled by
M/s Reliance Electric under Sunil Jindal, while the diesel-generator sets and
external-lighting works were completed by R.K. Pabbi of S.L. Enterprises.
Mr. Anil Gupta coordinated the electrical works on behalf of
Swadeshi Civil Infrastructure.
Mr. A.K. Bishnoi of Ions Hydro worked on the water-treatment
and hydropneumatic systems, while the sewage-treatment-plant works were
undertaken by S.R. Paryavaran Engineers.
The security system, comprising CCTV cameras and baggage
scanners, was executed by Mr. Pranav Verma of Vantage Security Systems. Its
network extended security coverage across the large campus and began
functioning smoothly after commissioning.
The horticultural works were executed by a CPWD-registered
agency led by Mr. Manoj Kumar, who had earlier worked on another tourism
project at Kanganheri. Despite seasonal rain, the plantation produced
encouraging results. With proper maintenance, the young landscape would grow
with the buildings around it.
The firefighting works and the associated fire-alarm system
were also completed through specialist agencies. Lifts and elevators were
supplied by Johnson Lifts, which had earlier worked with us on the GGSIPU
project at Dwarka.
The tensile-fabric roofing was undertaken by Shri Daler Singh
of Western Outdoor, Mumbai. His specialist knowledge helped complete this
distinctive architectural component to the satisfaction of the department.
Each agency entered the project through a separate package
and responsibility. On paper, their scopes could be defined through agreements,
drawings and specifications; at the site, however, their work had to meet,
overlap and function as one.
Within these agencies were the engineers and supervisors who
remained close to daily execution.
Mr. Sunil Kumar Singh, one of Swadeshi Civil Infrastructure’s
young engineers, worked effectively alongside the Assistant Engineers. He
remained involved in execution, interpretation of drawings, and their
implementation at the site. Calm in his manner, sincere in his work and willing
to learn, he became a dependable part of the project.
Mr. S.R. Arya, a retired CPWD Assistant Engineer, had earlier
worked with me in PWD Division XI. Swadeshi Civil Infrastructure associated him
with this project. Though around seventy years of age, he carried the energy
and curiosity of someone much younger. His sincerity and grassroots-level
supervision contributed considerably to the quality of execution.
Age had slowed neither his interest nor his movement. The
site remained his working ground, and experience remained his strength.
Mr. Satish Tyagi, the site supervisor, was usually cheerful
and handled site-management responsibilities with care. He recorded the
instructions issued to the contractors and worked closely with the team to
facilitate their timely compliance.
Mr. Vinay Kumar primarily supervised the Food Court Building.
He had previously worked at Tihar Jail No. 6C with M/s Satish Builders during
2003–04 and was later associated with Swadeshi Civil Infrastructure. His
earlier experience supported him in carrying out the responsibilities assigned
at Dilli Haat.
There were supervisors from several other agencies whose
names I cannot now recall. Memory often preserves the prominent faces and
allows many others to fade. Their names may escape the written page, but their
work remains present in the project.
Below these layers of planning, coordination and supervision
stood the skilled artisans and workers—the people who finally touched the
materials and persuaded them to accept the shapes drawn for them.
Mr. Ram Singh, a specialist subcontractor from Rajasthan,
undertook the difficult flooring, tiling and stonework. A long-standing
associate of Mr. Ram Avtar, he was trusted for the consistency and quality of
his workmanship.
Then there was Mr. Prahlad, a specialist steel-fabrication
subcontractor whose team carried out extensive steelwork.
Steel does not easily submit to imagination. It must be
measured, cut, bent, joined and lifted until the hard material begins to follow
the lines conceived on paper.
Among the most complex assignments was the fabrication of the
semicircular tubular truss for the Exposition Hall. Prahlad and his team also
executed the boundary-wall railings made from square mild-steel tubes, large
mechanically operated rolling gates, the Auditorium catwalk structure, joinery
associated with its plate girders and tubular structures for the guard rooms.
The erection of the heavy and lengthy steel plate girders in
the Auditorium was perhaps among the most anxious operations. Specialists came
forward with suggestions, calculations were considered, and procedures were
discussed—but ultimately, someone had to undertake the actual lifting and
placement.
Prahlad arranged three cranes and coordinated the operation.
As the long girders rose into the air, those present watched with their hearts
in their mouths. A structure that appeared manageable in a drawing looked
altogether different when suspended above the ground.
The girders were finally placed with precision.
That moment belonged not merely to machinery or calculation.
It belonged equally to the people who trusted one another’s signals and
judgement while standing beneath an enormous weight.
Nitin, a young fabricator, handled substantial
stainless-steel work. He was responsible for the fabrication of railings and
the patterned installation of bamboo. His team also undertook stainless-steel
support work for bamboo cladding on the basket-tower buildings and the façades
of the Food Court Building.
He further contributed to wood-carving work at the entrances
of the Food Court and Exposition Hall, circular ceiling hangings in the Food
Court and Auditorium, and mild-steel gates for the craft shops. Their sideways
rolling arrangement made the shops lockable—an important functional improvement
introduced at this Dilli Haat.
Large-scale aluminium work was carried out on doors, windows,
entrance gates and structural glazing. Different sizes and specifications of
glass, including toughened glass, were used. Double-skin materials and
appropriate glazing arrangements helped preserve the effectiveness of the
air-conditioning systems.
The carpentry work brought another character to the
buildings. It included large circular coffers in the frisking building and
rectangular coffers in the basket towers. Teakwood supporting members were used
in the Food Court, Exposition Hall and Auditorium.
Cabinets were fabricated for the food stalls, while circular
sliding tables were provided in the craft shops. These allowed artisans to
interact with customers and, at the end of the day, secure the articles they
had brought with care and hope.
The curved metal ceiling of double-wall construction in the
Exposition Hall was particularly challenging. A glass wall was incorporated
between the surfaces to preserve the air-conditioning effect. The sheets had to
be bent to the required curvature and fixed carefully upon the roof.
The roof was slippery, the work difficult and the height
unforgiving. Yet workers climbed above and continued, because the final shape
visible from below depended upon their balance and courage above it.
Khageshwar, a plumber long associated with Mr. Ram Avtar, led
the laying of water-supply and sanitary lines. A diligent worker from Odisha,
he had also contributed to Dilli Haat Pitampura and other projects. His
understanding of the work and ability to manage his team reflected expertise
acquired through years of practical experience.
Many such workers had not received extensive formal
education, yet their hands had learned what books alone cannot teach.
Observation became their classroom, experience their examination, and
successful execution their qualification.
At times, their practical command of a task could surpass the
understanding of formally educated professionals. Engineers may establish
specifications, technical controls and policy directions, but workers finally
translate drawings and instructions into physical reality.
Around two hundred and fifty people worked on the civil works
alone during nearly thirty-six months. This number does not include all those
engaged in electrical, mechanical, horticultural and other specialist
disciplines.
Some names are remembered; many have slipped away. Yet their
labour remains visible in every building, railing, roof, pathway, service line
and planted space of Dilli Haat.
I have immense respect for these workers—the actual executors
of the project. Their outward appearance seldom revealed the scale of the work
they could undertake. Easily overlooked beyond the construction site, they
undertook work of remarkable difficulty and responsibility. Young and old, men
and women, each contributed according to individual capacity.
Their work repeatedly demonstrated that the apparent size of
a person does not determine the scale of what that person can create.
Architects and consultants give shape and system to an idea.
Engineers prepare estimates and tenders, coordinate disciplines and guide
execution. Contractors mobilise materials, machinery and people. Supervisors
carry instructions to the working front. Finally, artisans and workers persuade
stone, steel, glass, bamboo, concrete and wood to occupy their appointed
places.
Many people work in the background and rarely come to the
forefront. We remain indebted to them because what becomes visible is only a
fraction of what has been imagined, designed, checked, corrected, coordinated
and executed beneath the surface.
Positions and responsibilities may determine whose name
appears prominently, but they do not measure the entirety of contribution.
There were many more stakeholders—some repeatedly visible,
others encountered only when their particular work demanded attention. Each
entered the project through a separate responsibility, yet all their efforts
eventually converged in one place.
A visitor now sees completed buildings, craft shops, food
spaces, galleries, an Auditorium, an Exposition Hall, landscaped grounds, and
functioning services. The visitor does not see the years of drawings and
revisions, the measurements taken again, the discussions over difficult
details, the materials rejected or accepted, the anxious lifting of girders, or
the workers balancing upon a curved roof.
The finished project quietly conceals the struggle of its
making.
Perhaps that is the nature of construction. Once the
scaffolding disappears and the dust settles, effort withdraws behind the
finished surface. The project comes forward; its makers slowly move out of
sight.
As my five-year association with DTTDC approached its
conclusion, I wished to remember at least some of those who had helped
transform this scheme into reality. Many more names deserved to be recorded.
Their absence from these pages should never be understood as an absence of
contribution.
Dilli Haat Janakpuri was not created by an isolated
individual or a single organisation. It emerged from administrative vision,
architectural imagination, engineering judgement, contractual responsibility,
skilled supervision and the sustained physical labour of hundreds of people.
Lines were first drawn upon paper. Estimates and tenders
followed. Materials arrived, foundations descended into the earth, and
structures rose above it. Systems passed through walls and beneath floors.
Stone, steel, bamboo, glass and wood gradually found their appointed places.
And somewhere within all this movement, an idea became a
public space.
Vision gave the project its beginning; design gave it form;
engineering gave it stability and function; labour gave it life.
I was leaving the organisation, yet those five years were not
leaving me. They would remain there—in its structures and spaces, in the vision
that guided them, and in the innumerable hands that gave them life.
The office order had marked the end of a tenure; Dilli Haat
Janakpuri had begun its life among the people.
Moral: A public project may carry a few visible names, but it lives through the
vision, knowledge, responsibility, skill and labour of countless hands.
Pawan Kumar
Revisited and refined: 12 September 2026, Saturday, 6:58 p.m.
Originally recorded: 8 July 2014, Tuesday, 7:40 a.m.
(Remembrance Note: This memoir also carries a special tribute to Dr. A.K. Mittal, Shri Daler Singh, and Er. Alok Bharti, whose contributions are remembered here.)
