The Central Public Works Department (CPWD), a premier engineering organization of the Government of India, celebrated its 172nd Annual Day on 12 July 2026 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, marking over 172 years of dedicated service to the Nation.

Shri Manohar Lal, Hon'ble Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest in the august presence of Shri Srinivas Katikithala, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. Shri Satinder Pal Singh, Director General, CPWD; Shri Mohd. Kamal Ahmad, Director General (Training), CPWD; and Shri Pradeep Kumar Jha, Joint Secretary (Works & Central Vista), Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, were also on the dais. Senior officers, retired officers, employees and distinguished guests attended the function.

During the inaugural session, the Hon'ble Minister released several important publications and digital initiatives of the Department, including Technical Publications, Nirman Bharati (the annual in-house publication of CPWD), and the newly developed e-NIRMIT ERP Modules, reflecting CPWD's commitment to digital transformation, transparency and efficient project management.

On the occasion, the Hon'ble Minister also released the book "India's Urban Transformation: Reflections from Policy and Practice" and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs' coffee table book "India's Urban Momentum: Towards Making Our Cities Liveable", highlighting India's remarkable urban development journey and the Ministry's initiatives towards sustainable and inclusive urban growth.

The Hon'ble Minister presented Director General's Medals, Commendation Certificates and Certificates of Merit to outstanding officers, officials and project teams in recognition of their exemplary performance, dedication and excellence in public service. Awards were also presented for the Best Completed Projects of the Department.

As part of the celebrations, certificates were presented to participants who successfully completed capacity-building programmes conducted in collaboration with leading academic and professional institutions, reinforcing CPWD's commitment to continuous learning and professional excellence. A documentary film showcasing CPWD's major achievements, iconic infrastructure projects, the adoption of modern construction technologies, the implementation of the e-NIRMIT ERP Modules, and award-winning projects was screened during the function.

As a prelude to the Annual Day celebrations, a Technical Session was organized on 11 July 2026 at Hall No. 6, Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Prof. K. V. L. Subramaniam, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Hyderabad, delivered the keynote address on emerging technologies, innovation and sustainability in the construction sector. A Senior Officers' Conference, chaired by the Director General, CPWD, was also held on 11 July 2026 at Vigyan Bhawan, where senior officers deliberated on ongoing reforms, project delivery, capacity building, the adoption of modern technologies and the future roadmap for the Department.

In his address, Shri Manohar Lal, Hon'ble Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, emphasized the need to adopt eco-friendly and sustainable construction practices, promote modern and emerging technologies, strengthen capacity building, and accelerate digital transformation in public infrastructure development. He appreciated CPWD's contribution to nation-building and highlighted the importance of transparency, efficiency and timely project execution. He also underscored the need for an efficient and transparent online transfer and posting system, continuous institutional reforms, and preparing the Department to effectively address future challenges in the infrastructure sector. Hon’ble Minister, MoHUA invoked CPWD for Sankalp of Speed Accessibility Nekneeyat Kartavyanishtha Adoption of technology Lokhit Pardarshita on its 172^nd Annual Day as its contribution towards Viksit Bharat.

In his address, Shri Srinivas Katikithala, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, congratulated the CPWD fraternity on the completion of 172 years of distinguished service to the Nation. He appreciated the Department's significant contribution to the creation of quality public infrastructure across the country and emphasized that CPWD has evolved into a modern, technology-driven organization capable of executing complex and iconic projects.

The Secretary highlighted the need for CPWD to adopt a broader national perspective in public infrastructure development by further strengthening its role as the Government's premier technical organization. He underlined the importance of establishing a National Council for Public Works to serve as a national platform for promoting excellence, innovation, knowledge sharing, capacity building and standardization in the public works sector. He observed that such an institutional mechanism would facilitate collaboration among Central and State Government agencies, academic institutions, industry and professional bodies, thereby enhancing the quality, sustainability and efficiency of public infrastructure development across the country.

He further emphasized that CPWD should continue to lead the adoption of best engineering practices, digital technologies, sustainable construction methods and efficient project management systems while expanding its role as a knowledge and capacity-building institution for the public works ecosystem.

Earlier, Shri Satinder Pal Singh, Director General, CPWD, welcomed the Chief Guest and other dignitaries and highlighted the Department's achievements during the past year. He reiterated CPWD's commitment to delivering high-quality public infrastructure through innovation, professionalism and the timely execution of projects.

The Director General emphasized that capacity building and skill development remain key priorities of the Department. He highlighted various training initiatives undertaken through the National CPWD Academy and collaborations with premier institutions to continuously enhance the technical and managerial competencies of engineers and other professionals. He also stressed the importance of adopting modern construction technologies, including Building Information Modelling (BIM), digital project management tools, advanced construction materials, automation and other emerging technologies, to enhance productivity, quality, sustainability and transparency in project execution. He reaffirmed CPWD's resolve to remain at the forefront of technological advancement and engineering excellence in the service of the Nation.

The celebrations reaffirmed CPWD's unwavering commitment to engineering excellence, innovation, sustainability and capacity building in creating world-class public infrastructure for the Nation.

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SK

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