Delhi is about to get its second mega conference and exhibition facility next month with the inauguration of phase 1 of the India International Convention and Expo Centre at Dwarka that has been built at the cost of Rs 5400 crore.
The centre is spread over the land area of 221 acres amidst the business district of Gurugam and Delhi International Airport. The total land size of the project is more than Bharat Mandapam’s 123 acres. The first phase of Bharat Mandapam had cost Rs 2700 crore.
The project area of phase 1 is 8.97 lakh sq metres and total built up area of 1.80 lakh sq m. Built up area includes exhibition area, convention centres and arena. Area covered by the convention centre is 73195 sq m.
In the first phase two exhibition halls with the covered area of 1.07 lakh sq metres will also be inaugurated. In total the convention and expo centre will have five exhibition halls. Three will come up in the second phase.
The convention centre has the space to host over 11000 participants and will be one of the largest covered spaces created in India. The facility will also have an auditorium with a seating capacity of 6,000 and a ballroom with a capacity of 2500. The first phase will have 13 other conference rooms with the capacity ranging from 68 to 822 people.
Apart from its proximity to the business district of Gurugram and Delhi International Airport, a dedicated access to Delhi Airport Express Metro Line has been provided which is part of the phase 1 cost. From the road it will have access from Dwarka expressway and connectivity to the upcoming Delhi-Mumbai expressway. It is 10 minutes from Aero city and 20 minutes from centre of the city, Connaught Place by Metro.
While Bharat Mandapam comes under the Department of Commerce, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is implementing the convention and expo centre through its fully-owned entity – India International Convention and Exhibition Centre Ltd (IICC).
“IICC in Dwarka showcases the vision of the Prime Minister of India and is slated to be one of Asia’s largest facilities for Global Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibition events. The project showcases the strength of India’s growth potential in the M.I.C.E sector. The demand for such a facility is evident in the fact that we already have major global level events lined up till October 2024,” Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of IICC and Special Secretary DPIIT Sumita Dawra said.
TThe completion of the second phase will take the built-up area of the convention centre to 4.28 lakh sq m. The number of exhibition halls will go up to 5 with the total covered area of 3,.03 lakh sq metres. The second phase will also have an arena of 20,000 capacity and mixed use development of 6.42 lakh sq metres which would include hotels.
Underground car parking capacity in the first phase is 3,000 which will go up to 28,000.
The government is expecting more aggressive bidding for phase 2 of the project as phase one has been completed.
L and T is the EPC contractor for Phase 1 of the project.
Kinexin Convention Management Pvt Ltd., a consortium of Korea International Exhibition Centre (KINTEX) and eSang Networks Company Limited, has been appointed as the Operator for Exhibition and Convention Centre for operating and managing the venue for 20 years for post Commercial Operations Date (COD).