The Delhi Police contingent marches during the full dress rehearsal for the Republic Day parade at Rajpath in New Delhi on Friday.(PTI)
The Central government offices in and around North and South block will be closed early on Sunday and Thursday for making arrangements for the Republic Day parade and Beating Retreat ceremony.
As many as 71 offices including those in North Block, South Block, Parliament House, Rail Bhawan, Sanchar Bhawan, Niti Ayog, National Archives, Udyog Bhawan, Nirman Bhawan, Election Commission of India, Kota House, Jam Nagar House, Janpath Bhawan, Reserve Bank of India and Vigyan Bhawan will close by 1 pm on January 25 (Sunday), an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said.
Offices in CSIR Building, Doordarshan Tower, Krishi Bhawan, Shastri Bhawan, Indira Gandhi National Centre for Art, Rashtrapati Bhawan, National Media Centre, Shram Shakti Bhawan, Jawahar Bhawan, Red Cross Building, Transport Bhawan and All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society (AIFACS) will be closed by 1 PM on Sunday, it said.
State Bank Of India, Sardar Patel Bhawan, Jeevan Vihar, Jeevan Deep, Jeevan Tara, Dak Bhawan, PNB Bank, UCO Bank, AIR office on Parliament Street will also be closed early.
"Sunday is usually a holiday for almost all central government offices but some of the employees come to office on these days to attend to urgent work. These buildings will be locked down completely on Sunday and nobody will be permitted to access them after 1 pm," a DoPT official said.
A total of 28 offices in South and North block, DRDO Bhawan, NDMC Tower, National Museum, Coast Guard HQ, Archaeological Survey of India, Sena Bhawan, Vayu Bhawan, Udyog Bhawan and Nirman Bhawan will be closed by 12 noon on January 29 (Thursday), the order said.