IANS | 20 Jul, 2023
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday celebrated the inauguration
of the world's largest office building, Surat Diamond Bourse, in
Gujarat's Surat.
The event marked a significant milestone for the
diamond industry, as Surat is renowned for crafting 90 per cent of the
world's diamonds.
In a tweet, Prime Minister Modi acknowledged the
dynamism and growth of Surat's diamond industry, praising the Surat
Diamond Bourse as a testament to India's entrepreneurial spirit.
He
emphasized that the bourse would serve as a hub for trade, innovation,
and collaboration, further bolstering the country's economy and creating
employment opportunities.
The Surat Diamond Bourse is a
comprehensive center for over 65,000 diamond professionals, including
cutters, polishers, and traders. With a sprawling floor space of over
7.1 million square feet, it is reported to surpass the Pentagon as the
world's largest office building.
The bourse's impressive 15-storey
complex, covering an area of 35 acres, features a unique design of nine
interconnected rectangular structures emanating from a central 'spine'.
After
four years of construction work, which faced some delays due to the
Covid-19 pandemic, the Surat Diamond Bourse is set to welcome its first
occupants in November.
The Surat Diamond Bourse boasts more than
4,700 office spaces, which can also serve as small diamond-cutting and
polishing workshops. The building includes 131 elevators and provides
dining, retail, wellness, and conference facilities for the workers.