Bharat Mandapam (English:/ˈbʱaːrətˈmən̪ɖəpəm/) is an exhibition hall located within the confines of the sprawling Pragati Maidan complex in New Delhi, India. [4] It is one of the largest convention centres of India, whose design and architecture draws inspiration from the twelfth-century Anubhava Mantapa.[5][6] Bharat Mandapam was unveiled in 2023 by Prime MinisterNarendra Modi. It was constructed on the site of Hall of Nations, which was controversially razed in 2017.[7] With a total built-up area of 390,000 sq. metres, the complex includes a meeting hall that can accommodate 7,000 people in a single format, along with six exhibition halls spanning an exhibition area of 150,000 sq. metres. The 2023 G20 New Delhi summit occurred at this venue between 9-10 September 2023.[8]
History
Hall of Nations
The site of Bharat Mandapam was the Hall of Nations, comprising the sprawling Pragati Maidan project, was designed by architect Raj Rewal.[9] It was inaugurated on 3 November 1972 by then Prime MinisterIndira Gandhi, on the eve of the International Trade Fair called Asia 72.[10] The venue and the event were meant to celebrate 25 years of India's independence.[11]
Pragati Maidan
Pragati Maidan comprises a vast complex of buildings, covering over 150 acres (0.61 km²) and interspersed with numerous lawns. It overlooks the historic Purana Qila, built by the second Mughal emperor, Humayun, which stands opposite Gate number 1. The complex houses numerous pavilions, including the Nehru Pavilion, the Defence Pavilion, the Indira Pavilion, and the Son of India Pavilion. It features a variety of structures in eclectic shapes and sizes and includes an auditorium that frequently hosts music shows and plays. Additionally, an internal shuttle service operates within the expansive grounds.
Pragati Maidan used to house a cinema called Shakuntalam, which attained popularity among college students for its comparatively cheap tickets. The complex houses 18 exhibition halls,[12] several buildings, eateries, performance spaces and compounds, including headquarters of the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), and hosts over 70 national and international exhibitions annually, with the largest being the India International Trade Fair which attracts over 10,000 exhibitors and over 3,000,000 visitors.[13][14]
Pragati Maidan is flanked by Mathura Road to its west and Bhairon Road on the south. To its east runs the main railway line to Central and Southern India. Pragati Maidan is situated in Central Delhi.[15] Pragati Maidan offers about 61,290 sq. metres of covered exhibition space in 16 halls, besides 10,000 sq. metres of open display area.[16]
In 2006, ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, a ₹1,260-crore redevelopment plan was initiated by the government.[13][17]
Bharat Mandapam project
After the Modi government came to power in 2014, it sought to revamp the Pragati Maidan. The comprehensive revamp plan of the Pragati Maidan IECC project was conceptualised by the ITPO in December 2015. In 2016, a consortium of architecture firms, Arcop (Delhi) and Aedas (Singapore), led by architects Sanjay Singh[18] and Spaniard Simón Núñez de Arenas Fraile[19] respectively, won the competition for the Master Plan and architectural design of the exhibition halls and the convention center. The Integrated Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC) at Pragati Maidan, developed at a cost exceeding ₹2,600 crore, was constructed by the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC). NBCC subcontracted the work to the Shapoorji Pallonji Group.[20]
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved it in January 2017 for implementation in a mission mode. The government’s plan to replace the Hall of Nations with a new convention center was justified as a necessity for creating a 'world-class' exhibition-cum-convention facility to host the then-upcoming G20 meetings that India would hold a few years later, indicating a clear intent to proceed with the demolition.[21] Conservationists and architects from around the world protested the plan to demolish the Hall of Nations, urging the government to preserve the renowned heritage structure. However, just a few days later, notwithstanding protests, appeals, and public outcry, along an ongoing legal intervention in the Delhi High Court to protect the structure, the ITPO proceeded with the demolition.[22]
Construction lasted in August 2023. The complex was replaced by a new Bharat Mandapam, which was inaugurated by Prime MinisterNarendra Modi in July 2023. In September 2023, it hosted the G20 Leader's Summit. The project spans a total built-up area of 390,000 m² and includes an iconic, world-class convention centre with a capacity for 7,000 people in a single format, six modern exhibition halls covering 150,000 m² of exhibition space, ample underground parking, and strong infrastructure connectivity. This design encourages public transportation use while also enabling quick road decongestion. Pragati Maidan is spread over 123 acres of prime land in the heart of India's capital, New Delhi. The revamped complex includes the newly built double-storied exhibition halls — Halls 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 15 — along with a single-floor structure, Hall 6.
The Pragati Maidan complex is divided into two sections: the old hall complex, which includes Halls 7 to 12A, and the new hall complex, which comprises Halls 1 to 6 and Hall 14. Some of the events held in Pragati Maidan are the India International Trade Fair, Auto Expo[24], World Book Fair, and AAHAR.
The India International Trade Fair (IITF), a two-week-long event, commences annually on 14 November at this venue. In 1999, during the fair, two new air-conditioned halls, 12 and 13, covering an area of 9,000 m², were opened to the public. That year, around 5,200 enterprises and over 70 companies from 14 countries participated in the event.[25] The 2003 edition of the IITF saw over 2.5 million visitors to Pragati Maidan.[26] The Northern Railways ran special trains to Pragati Maidan during the 2008 edition of the fair.[27] The Delhi Metro, in a similar vein, handled an average daily ridership of 50,000 commuters during the same period.[28]
Straddling a corner of Pragati Maidan overlooking the Mathura Road is the "Matka Peer", the dargah shrine of Hazrat Sheikh Abubakr Tusi Qalandari, a mystic who arrived in Delhi from Iran around 1260 CE.[29] Further down Bhairon Road lies the National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum, and even further along stands the National Science Centre. The Pragati Maidan metro station, spanning 6,800 square meters and comprising the Blue Line of the Delhi Metro, opened in November 2006 during the India International Trade Fair.[30] On its eighth day, the station accommodated over 200,000 passengers.[31] In December 2019, the Delhi Government's naming committee decided to rechristen the station to Supreme Court owing to its proximity to the Supreme Court of India.[32]
Each year, the Income Tax Department opens over 150 counters for filing income tax returns.[33][34] It also hosted Wills Lifestyle Indian Fashion Week (WIFW), organised by the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), in 2008 and 2009.[35] Additionally, it features exhibitions spanning virtually all major industries, including toys, leather goods, lifestyle products and services, export items, medical equipment, sports equipment, and even a job fair.[36]
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