In India, the world’s largest office building has been constructed, and it was recently inaugurated by our Prime Minister. We are familiar with prominent office complexes like Tidal Park, Ramanujam IT Park, and Chennai 1 in Chennai. However, this particular building surpasses them all with a staggering 4,200 offices. Remarkably, it can accommodate almost 70,000 people simultaneously.
The scale of this structure sets a new record, surpassing even the Pentagon, which has held the title of the world’s largest building for many decades. As we return to the office after celebrating Pongal at home, it’s worth noting the significance of this colossal workspace. With the capacity to house up to 1 lakh people, the construction of such a massive office building in India reflects the nation’s commitment to fostering a robust work environment. As we adapt to the evolving ways of working, this incredible building shows how India is making a mark globally.
Where is the Building (World’s Largest Office)?
Firstly, let me tell you where this building is located, it’s in Gujarat, India. Gujarat has been seeing a lot of big projects, like the bullet train, and this office is part of that action. They started building it in 2015. Usually, when we talk about Gujarat, we think of Ahmedabad for new things, but this office is in Surat. While we usually connect Gujarat’s growth with Ahmedabad, it’s cool to see Surat getting attention. It’s exciting that the world’s biggest office is in Surat, breaking the usual trend.
They began building this office in 2015, and 6,000 people worked on it non-stop. Due to COVID-19, there was a break for two years. The office was finally opened in 2023. If we don’t count the COVID break, it took 6 years for those 6,000 people to complete the construction.
| Also Read: Unbelievable Secrets of Tirupati Temple |
What is the Cost of this Building (World’s Largest Office)?
This building, called Surat Diamond Bourse, was constructed for 3200 crore. It’s the world’s biggest place for diamond traders. The SDB is specifically made for people who produce and trade diamonds. Inside, you’ll find the only diamond mall in the world. The Surat Diamond Bourse is dedicated to the business of diamonds. Surat is a significant city for diamond work, 90% of the world’s diamonds are cut and shaped here. The diamond market is all over Surat, not just in one place.
Let me give you an example, Chennai is known for making a lot of stuff in India. But the car factories are spread out in places like Thriuvanmayur, Ambattur, and Chengalpet. Now, imagine if the government decided to build a big building where all the car factories are together. It would be easier to go in and out, and companies could talk to each other easily. Well, in Surat, they did something similar. Many small businesses are in one giant building, and it costs Rs. 3200 crores to make. It took 6 years to build, and they planned for 8 years. To give you an idea of how big it is, the Pentagon used to be the largest building before this. You might have heard of Tidal Park in Chennai. Well, you could fit 6 Tidal Parks inside this huge building called Surat Diamond Bourse (SDB).
About the Building (Surat Diamond Bourse)
The building was made with a design inspired by fish bones. Just like a fish’s skeleton, the building has a long middle part and wings on the sides, like ribs. This design helps to get a lot of sunlight, and it doesn’t use much electricity, about 70,000 people can use natural light. Every corner of the building has an office near a window. It’s made for people in the diamond business, like traders, makers, shapers, exporters, and importers. With wings on both sides and a middle connection, it’s set up for different diamond industry professionals to work efficiently.
What’s inside the Building?
Firstly, there will be 4,200 offices in this huge building. Secondly, the building covers 35 acres of land. It has a total of 9 towers, and each tower has 15 floors. The corridor inside the building is 22 kilometers long. For those who can’t walk or for older people, there are battery cars available for transportation within the building. Even if you need to go from one office to another, the battery cars are there to help. This building, designed for the diamond market, has a direct connection to the Surat International Airport terminal, making it easy for travelers. Diamond traders flying to Surat don’t have to pay any tax and can directly walk to the office from the airport.
There are a total of 131 large lifts in the building, each the size of a room. These high-speed lifts can go up 3 meters in a second, taking about 2 to 3 seconds to move from one floor to another. The building also features 9 gardens, with a large one in the middle of the towers. These gardens offer leisure activities, and there are two levels of parking available.
Inside this office building, there is a special area for customs clearance. Diamond merchants buy diamonds from other countries, and customs officers are crucial in managing the import and export of these diamonds (Surat Diamond City). Similarly, when people try to buy gold from abroad or bring it back with them, customs officers at the airport play a significant role.
Since this office is directly connected to Surat International Airport, customs officers are present within the office to handle diamond customs clearance as people head to the airport. About 10 customs officers are responsible for overseeing the clearance process.
Apart from custom clearance, there are surprising elements within this building. While we might expect shops, there are also banks inside the building, which adds an interesting twist. Normally, having restaurants in IT companies is common, but the presence of banks makes this building even more unique. Inside this building, there are many fancy hotels and even a mall. You can buy diamonds and jewelry at a reasonable price there (Surat Diamond Market). The building also has a new cooling system that uses water on the roof and floor to cool it down.
