Narendra Modi inaugurated the “Central Vista Avenue” developed under the Central Vista Redevelopment Project on 8 September. During this event, the government also changed the name of “Raj Path” to “Kartavya Path”. At this occassion, the Prime Minister also unveiled the statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate.

The Shapoorji Pallonji Group (found by the father of Cyrus Mistry who recently died in a car accident) has revamped “Central Vista Avenue” at an estimated cost of around Rs 477 crore.

Information about Central Vista

• Central Vista is the central administrative region of India located in New Delhi.
• During the colonial era, prominent British architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker designed the Central Vista Complex.
• It was inaugurated in 1931 and consists of Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House, North and South Blocks and India Office Records (later named as the National Archives), India Gate Memorial and civic parks on either side of the Rajpath.

What is the Central Vista Redevelopment Project?

1. The Central Vista redevelopment project was conceived in September 2019. This entire project was to be completed in the next 6 years.
2. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) is the proponent of this project.
3. The ambitious Central Vista Redevelopment Project spans three kilometers from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate in Lutyens’ Delhi.
4. The project includes new triangular parliament building, chambers for Members of Parliament, Central Vista Avenue, 10 buildings of common central secretariat, central convention centre, additional building for National Archives, new Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts building.
5. Facilities for Security Officers and Vice President, Official Residence for Prime Minister, Executive Enclave with Prime Minister’s Office, Cabinet Secretariat, National Security Council Secretariat, Relocation of National Museum in North and South Blocks etc. are part of this project.
6. According to the Central Public Works Department, Government of India (CPWD), the new Parliament House is being constructed on Plot No. 118 of House Estate. It will be completely ready by October 2022.
7. The construction of 10 buildings of the Central Secretariat will be completed by the year 2024. The existing North and South blocks will be converted into museums.
8. According to the government, the project will save Rs 1,000 crore that used to be given to CPWD. It is also being seen as an attempt to rid India’s executive and legislative institutions of the signs of colonial rule.

Interesting facts about this project

• For making this building, sandstone from Sarmathura in Dholpur district of Rajasthan and granite from Lakha village of Jaisalmer have been used.
• The wood has been procured from Nagpur and the responsibility of the architecture of the wood was entrusted to the artisans and craftsmen of Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• The new Parliament House will have hand-woven carpets from Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh. You must be knowing that Bhadohi is also known as ‘Carpet City’.

See all government progs here – Govt. Programmes for UPSC