Central Public Works Department, India

The Central Public Works Department of India, commonly referred as the CPWD, is a central government owned authority in charge of public sector works. The Central Public Works Department, under the ministry of urban development, builds and maintains public buildings. CPWD came into existence in July 1854 when Lord Dalhousie established a central agency for execution of public works and set up Ajmer Provincial Division. It has now grown into a comprehensive construction management department, which provides services from project concept to completion, and maintenance management.

It is headed by the Director General (DG) who is also the Principal Technical Advisor to the Government of India. The incumbent DG is Mr. Abhai Sinha. The regions and sub-regions are headed by Special DGs and Additional DGs respectively, while the zones in all state capitals (except a few) are headed by Chief Engineers.

With country wide presence, the strength of CPWD is its ability to undertake construction of Complex Projects even in difficult terrains and maintenance in post construction stage.^[1]

Its prime engineeering department of government of union of india and its specifications and manuals are followed by local public works departments and engineering wing of other departments.

CPWD consists of three wings in execution field

1). E&M

2). B&R

3). Horticlture

There are three cadres in CPWD:

1). CAS (CENTRAL ARCHITECTURE SERVICES)

2). CES (CENTRAL ENGINEERING SERVICES) (केन्द्रिय अभियंत्रिकी सेवाएं)-for Civil Engineers

3). CEMES (CENTRAL ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERING SERVICES)(केन्द्रिय विधुत एवं यात्रिकी अभियंत्रिकी सेवाएं)-for Mechanical & Electrical Engineers

These are Group A,Civil Services.List of all Group A,Civil Services: Civil Services of India

The recruitment as entry level for middle management is made through Architecture Services Examination and Engineering Services Examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission. Only top candidates in ESE get a chance to join CPWD strictly on merit basis.During probation period, the selected candidates undergo rigorous training which transforms them into competent Architects/Engineers cum bureaucrats. During the normal career progression one rises to Chief Architect/Engineer, then Additional Director General and further to Special Director General. There is one post of Director General, CPWD who also acts as technical advisor to Government of India.

The job in CPWD is challenging yet rewarding. With pan India presence, CPWD has been involved in construction of strategically important mega projects all over the country including border areas. CPWD is well known for quality construction and timely completion of projects following which it has huge list of successful projects and departments as well as clients which it has served.

History

Centralised public works in India can be traced to efforts of Lord Dalhousie and Sir Arthur Cotton in the mid 19th century. Cotton wrote,^[2]

Public works have been almost entirely neglected throughout India. The motto hitherto has been: Do nothing, have nothing done, let nobody do anything. Bear any loss, let the people die of famine, let hundreds of lakhs be lost in revenue for want of water or roads, rather than do anything.

– Arthur Cotton (1854)^[2]

In 1855, Lord Dalhousie established the Central Public Works Department, and irrigation projects were among the earliest to be started.^[3]

State Public Works Departments in India

• Karnataka Public Works Department
• Kerala Public Works Department
• Tamil Nadu Public Works Department
• Uttar Pradesh Public Works Department

References

1. "CPWD WORKS MANUAL • 2012" (PDF).
2. Gilmartin, David (2015). Blood and water : the Indus River Basin in modern history. Oakland, California: University of California Press. p. 105. ISBN 978-0-520-28529-3.
3. Gilmartin, David (2015). Blood and Water: the Indus River Basin in modern history. Oakland, California: University of California Press. p. 106. ISBN 978-0-520-28529-3.