AIR Spotlight: Central Vista Project

AIR Spotlight is an insightful program featured daily on the All India Radio Newsonair. In this program, many eminent panellists discuss issues of importance which can be quite helpful in IAS exam preparation. This article features a discussion on the Central Vista Project and its features.

Participants: 

1. Shekhar Iyer, Political Analyst
2. Aditi Tandon, Journalist

Context: Recently, the two-kilometre stretch from India Gate to Rashtrapati Bhavan, part of the revamped Central Vista Avenue in Delhi was renamed Kartavya Path.

Introduction:

• The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) unanimously approved the name change in a special meeting.
• Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the redeveloped road and unveiled a statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose under the canopy at India Gate that during British rule had a statue of King George V. 
• This is in line with Prime minister Modi’s 2022 Independence Day address, in which he had spoken of shedding even the last trace of the colonial mindset that we might have.
• The renaming of Rajpath as ‘Kartavya Path’ (‘Duty Road’), symbolises PM’s emphasis on duties over rights. 
• This project is seen as reinforcing our national heritage and national symbol over colonial symbols.

Central Vista Project – Overview

• Central Vista redevelopment project intends to construct a triangular-shaped Parliament building next to the existing one, the construction of Common Central Secretariat, and revamp of the 3 kilometres long Rajpath from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate.
• It also includes the conversion of North and South Blocks into museums and the development of the Central Vista Avenue.
• To accommodate the offices of various ministries, 87 storied buildings will be built for the common Central Secretariat.

Read more on the Central Vista Redevelopment Project in the link.

Significance of renaming:

• Renaming of Rajpath is a very significant step because it changes the way people look at things. 
• When constructed, Rashtrapati Bhavan was called the Viceroy’s House. Finally, its name was changed to Rashtrapati Bhavan during the term of President Dr. Rajendra Prasad. This epitomises India’s strength, its democratic traditions and secular character.
• This incentivises people to shed colonial prejudices and shackles of servitude. 
• The process of renaming roads/places to match the names with national heritage resonates in the larger national consciousness of the public.
• The massive redevelopment of the central vista and Rajpath itself speaks of the aspirations of New India with renewed all-inclusive infrastructural adjustments to showcase significant features of national importance.

Emphasis on Duties:

• The President of India Draupadi Murmu in her maiden Independence address, stressed the need for people to know about their Fundamental Duties and appealed to every citizen to know about their Fundamental Duties and follow them in letter and spirit so that our nation reaches new heights.
• PM Modi in his 2022 Independence Day speech described the duties of citizens as one of the “Panch Pran” (five resolves) needed to fulfil the freedom fighters’ dreams for the country to take India forward towards the path of being called a developed nation by 100 years of India’s independence in 2047. 
• The Fundamental Duties serve a useful purpose in the success of a democratic polity which involves the citizens being active participants in the process of governance by assuming responsibilities and discharging citizenship duties and coming forward to give their best to the country. 
• The renaming of Rajpath as ‘Kartavya Path’ signifies this.

Central Vista redevelopment as a continuum of National War Memorial:

• In January 2022, the flame of the Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate in Delhi was merged with the eternal flame at the National War Memorial as India Gate is seen as the “symbol of our colonial past”.
• ‘Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya’, showcasing the legacies and achievements of all our Prime Ministers since 1947, was recently inaugurated.
• These developments give new meanings and significance and it is absolutely necessary that every Indian takes pride in the country’s heritage and remain rooted as we take strides in development.

Central Vista Redevelopment – Need for Revamping:

• Inadequate facilities and infrastructure of the Parliament building to meet the current and future demand.
• The offices of the Central Government are spread over different locations and this affects inter-departmental coordination, and unnecessary travel, leading to congestion and pollution.
• Most of the existing buildings have outlived their structural lives.
• The new facilities provide better public facilities, amenities, parking facilities, etc. Citing fire safety, acoustics concern, the dilapidated condition of the century-old construction, the redevelopment project is planned.
• Once this project is completed, the strength of the parliament has been expected to increase from 545 seats to 900 seats.
• The project also envisions improving the beauty of the Central Vista to make it a world-class tourist attraction.

Conclusion:

More greenfield approach is feasible for the future need and collective national effort to make India a developed country over the period of the Amrit Kal that has started with Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav initiative to honour and celebrate 75 years of independent India and the magnificent history of its culture, people, and accomplishments.

Read previous AIR Spotlight articles in the link.

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