Delhi’s disused power plant to be Tate Modern-style museum

A decommissioned IP power plant in New Delhi, the Indian capital, will now be transformed into one of the city's biggest art galleries, modeled on the famed Tate Modern in London.

The Delhi State Industrial & Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) has already outlined a blueprint for the use of the 59.10 acres vacated by the Indraprastha power plant, a leading national daily, Times of India, reported.

Although the Delhi municipal council has given its nod for the construction of the cultural hub, officials say that it would take three to five years, depending on when the dismantling of the power plant will be completed. This task has already been outsourced to a foreign agency and work on the art gallery will take place only when the area is cleared.

The DSIIDC official told the newspaper that at present, the cost estimate on the project is fluid, but could be as much as $110 million.

In addition to the museum, the area will also house a number of government departments, a bus depot, a link to the metro system and a city forest on one side. The lieutenant governor has, in fact, already allotted 15.644 acre land to DTC for the bus depot. A sixth of the site has also been reserved for the forest.

A strong focus is on the implementation of green building norms like the construction of roof-top heliostats and innovative day-lighting techniques to reduce the carbon footprint of the entire structure.

The Guardian of London has, however, raised questions if the museum-goers would enjoy the trip with the infamous stench from the Yamuna nearby, which receives untreated solid waste from almost half the population of the city.