Central Vista Redevelopment Project

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Central Vista Redevelopment Project
LocationLutyens' Delhi, Raisina Hill, New Delhi, India
ProposerMinistry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India
Project websitewww.centralvista.gov.in
StatusUnder construction
TypeReconstruction and renovation of administrative buildings
Cost estimate₹13,450 crore (US$1.7 billion) (Contract of two projects worth ₹862 crores & ₹477 cr awarded up to now)
Start dateSeptember 2019
Completion date2026 (expected)

Central Vista Redevelopment Project refers to the ongoing redevelopment to revamp the Central Vista, India's central administrative area located near Raisina Hill, New Delhi. The area was originally designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker during British colonial rule and was retained by Government of India after independence.

Scheduled between 2020 and 2026, the project as of 2020 aims to revamp a 3 km (1.9 mi) long Kartvyapath between Rashtrapati Bhavan and India Gate, convert North and South Blocks to publicly accessible museums by creating a new common Central Secretariat to house all ministries, a new Parliament building near the present one with increased seating capacity for future expansion, new residence and office for the Vice-President and the Prime Minister near the North Block and South Block and convert some of the older structures into museums.[1]

The cost of the Central Vista Redevelopment project, which also includes a Common Central Secretariat and the Special Protection Group (SPG) building, has been estimated to be around ₹13,450 crore (equivalent to ₹160 billion or US$2.0 billion in 2023) spread over four years.[2][3][4][5] Contract of only two projects worth ₹1,339 crores have been awarded till now. These include the New Parliament Building and rejuvenation of Central Vista Avenue at an estimated cost of ₹862 cr and ₹477 cr respectively.[6] The project began with the ceremonial laying of the foundation stone of the New Parliament Building on 10 December 2020.

Background

Ensemble of government buildings on Rajpath, New Delhi in 2016.

The Central Vista was first designed by architect Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, when the capital of the British Raj was moved from Calcutta to Delhi. The Parliament building alone took six years to construct, from laying the foundation stone on 12 February 1921 to the inauguration by then Viceroy Lord Irwin on 18 January 1927.[7] After Independence in 1947, it became the seat of the government of the new Republic. The Parliament campus was declared a heritage precinct in the 1962 Master plan of Delhi.[8]

The government statement for the new Vista development project stated “As the needs and duties of the government expanded, so did the usage of the space. However, due to the development in the area being around a century old, and the current growth and development of India, the current Central Vista has failed to keep up with the needs of the country”.[9]

The Central Vista Redevelopment Project was launched in 2019.[10] The project includes converting North and South Blocks into public museums, creating an ensemble of new secretariat buildings to house all ministries, relocating the Vice President and the Prime Minister's offices and residences near the North and South Blocks, and revamping the 3 km (1.9 mi) long Rajpath between Rashtrapati Bhavan and India Gate.[11] A new Parliament building with increased seating capacity will be built beside the older one as India aims to expand its Parliamentary membership in 2026. The project aims for completion in 2026. This plan did not include the proposed PMO as there were issues of pending land-use change and litigation. The construction of the new Parliament building was temporarily put on hold by Supreme Court of India but was released again within few days with some riders.[12]

Approval and bidding

Approval Process

The criteria for the competition were set by the Council of Architecture, which included no building being taller than India Gate. The project proponent or client had to seek conceptual approval from the Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC). Financial decisions received clearance from the Central Vigilance Commission. Monetary allocation was provided from the Finance Ministry. Project assessment studies were done by the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC). The regulatory master plan was done by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD).[13]

Competition

In reality, instead of a call to competition, there was a Notice Inviting Tender (NIT). The difference is that in a competition the winner is awarded a prize, not a contract; in a tender, there is a firm intent and the winner receives the contract. The bidding was held in two rounds. In the first round, merit was given on possibilities and innovation. In the second round, the winner was decided based on their capacity to deliver results. The winner was decided by a jury, and the names of jury members were announced before the competition.[14]

Finalists

There were six bidders in the final competition, who presented their proposal to the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Government of India:[15]

The design contract was won by Bimal Patel led HCP Design Planning and Management Pvt. Ltd. of Ahmedabad, Gujarat in October 2019.[16] There are different components to the overall project, and the contractors for each component are to be chosen by individual bidding processes.

Plan for Redevelopment

The project is expected to cost around ₹13,000 crore (equivalent to ₹150 billion or US$1.8 billion in 2023) over several years and to be fully completed by 2026.[17]

Central Vista redevelopment project
New structures Structures to be repurposed Structures to be retained as it is Structures to be demolished[18]
  • New Parliament House
  • Kartavya Path (Rajpath)
  • Common Central Secretariat
  • Central Conference Centre
  • New Vanijya Bhawan
  • New residence and office for Vice President
  • New residence and office for Prime Minister
  • New facilities for IGNCA
File:Proposed Masterplan of Central Vista.jpg
Proposed Masterplan for Central Vista[19]

New Parliament House

Main article: New Parliament House, New Delhi

A new triangular building to house the Parliament of India will be built beside the existing structure as the first building under the project. The new structure will be spread on area of 20,866 metres (68,458 ft) and will have a built-up area of 694,270 sq ft (64,500 m2), throughout four floors (16,125 m2 (173,570 sq ft) each floor) and will have a larger seating capacity than the current building as India aims to expand its parliament in 2026. The new Rajya Sabha hall will have a capacity of 384 seats while the new Lok Sabha hall will have 888 seats, with additional capacity up to 1272 seats for hosting joint sessions. It will have digital interface systems, will consume significantly less power and serve for following 150 years[20] while the older structure will be retained as an archeological asset of the country and will be modified for more functional spaces for parliament.[21] The project is expected to be completed in 2026. TATA projects won the bid to construct the building at a cost of ₹861.90 cr in September 2020 [22] and began construction in January 2021.

Kartavya Path

Under this project of the 3 km (1.9 mi) long Central Vista Avenue (renamed as Kartavya Path) was refurbished & redeveloped with construction of new bridges over canals, pedestrian underpasses, wide footpaths, new parking lots, more green areas, benches as well as trees.[23] Shapoorji Pallonji was awarded the tender for the redevelopment of the Central Vista Avenue in January 2021. They were required to complete the project within 300 days and maintain it for five years post-completion.[24] It was inaugurated on 8th September 2022 by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi.

Common Central Secretariat

A set of ten doughnut-shaped buildings on four plots as Secretariat will be built on either side of Rajpath. The height of all the buildings will be less than 42 meters (height of India Gate) and they will have 7 floors. Exteriors of all buildings will be similar to surrounding Lutyens buildings and they will be connected to each other and to the Delhi Metro network by electric people-movers in underground ways and overground buses.[25]

The existing Secretariat Building houses only 22 ministries with 41,000 employees while the rest are spread across the city of New Delhi. The new facility itself will house all the 51 ministries.[26]

Central Conference Center

Vigyan Bhavan will be demolished and a new Central Conference Center will be built.[27]

New office and residence for the Vice President and the Prime Minister

The residence of the Vice President will be relocated to a plot north of the North Block, while the residence and office of the Prime Minister will be moved to a plot south of the South Block. Bringing them both within the Central Vista will cut down on travel time and decrease traffic restrictions.[28]

The Vice President's enclave will be on a site of 15 acres, with 32 five-storey buildings at a maximum height of 15 meters. The Prime Minister's new office and residence will be on a site of 15 acres, with 10 four-storey buildings at a maximum height of 12 meters with a building for keeping Special Protection Group.[29]

Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts

The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) will be relocated from its current home on Man Singh Road, and its role as a cultural space will be expanded. A 15-acre plot near Jamnagar House has been identified to relocate the present building. The new building will retain IGNCA's existing role as a centre for research, publication, events and training while allowing additional facilities to be added.[30][31]

Reactions

Reception

Supporters of the project have disputed labelling transformation as an erasure, but rather recognition of the sentiment that India can no longer be defined by colonial symbols. Colonial symbols will neither be destroyed nor appropriated but simply remain. The engaged architect Bimal Patel called the project a triumph of "common sense" with a simple and functional design.[32][7][33] He has also stated that the existing listed heritage buildings will be integrated into the project, with any new buildings will be "aesthetically harmonious" with existing buildings.[34]

The project was criticized for being built at a time when India was facing an unprecedented crisis due to Covid-19, as the money allocated for the project could have been used for controlling the pandemic.[35][36][37]

Misconception

There was a misconception for a while when earlier on in the project the estimated cost of the new parliament building (₹862 cr) was mixed up with the old estimate of the entire project (₹20,000 cr). The new estimate of the entire project is around ₹ 13,450 cr.[38]

Claims and Responses[39]
Claims made about the project Responses from the Government
₹ 20, 000 crore spent during the Coivd-19 pandemic
  • Project commenced in September 2019, many months before pandemic outbreak in March 2020.
  • ₹20, 000 crore is a rough estimate of all planned development/redevelopment.
Funds being diverted from public healthcare and Covid-19 response
  • Funding for public healthcare has increased by 137%.
  • One-time grant for Covid-19 vaccination is 175% higher than the total project budget.
  • Delaying construction won't mean that funds are diverted to other items, and doing so will create liabilities for the government.
Current parliament building can be renovated instead of constructing a new parliament building
  • Current parliament building is at full capacity and can't be expanded upon.
  • Any additions or alterations to the current building aren't possible, as they could compromise the structural integrity and safety of the building.
  • Current parliament building wasn't built for current purpose.
Contribution to environmental damage and reduction of green spaces
  • Green cover will actually increase.
  • No trees will be cut, and there will be a net increase of 563 trees after all the transplatation/plantation.
  • Measures are also being taken to minise environmental impact of the project itself.
  • All waste from the project will be processed at waste treatment plants and recycled for use in construction.
Destruction of architectural heritage
  • No listed heritage building is to be demolished.
  • Heritage buildings listed under the project are to be refurbished for future use.
  • All planned works are mindful of the original layout, geometry and architectural character.
Circumvention of procedure during approval process
  • All project planning and implementation has followed all relevant procedures at every stage of the project.
  • The project has been taken up after obtaining all statuatory and local body approvals, including scrutiny by the Supreme Court.
Reduction of public spaces and conversion of public space to government use
  • Public and green spaces are to be added to the Central Vista avenue.
  • 80, 000 square metres of government space will open as public space, and 2.25 hectares of public and semi-public land is to be converted to green spaces.
Continuation of project during second wave of Covid-19 pandemic by using Essential Services Act
  • No provision of the "Essential Services Act" was invoked.
  • Covid-19 compliant arrangements were established at the site.

Lack of regulatory approvals

The project construction did not follow due process. Such a construction process requires approval from the local body, which is New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) in this case. The NDMC was totally bypassed as no submissions regarding the project were made to NDMC. So, no papers were signed by any authority assuring that the project adhered to municipal building laws. NDMC was replaced by Central Public Works Department (CPWD), which is not an elected body and therefore has no accountability to public. No provisions exist which allow CPWD to grant approval, but a colonial law (The Government Building Act, 1899) was activated to empower CPWD. Basically, this law gives central government power to build anywhere without approval of the urban local body. Other bodies like Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC) were notified to treat CPWD as local body, without any such provision. No technical drawings for any part of the project were sent to any authority for approval. No independent environmental impact assessment was done, and so the project did not get clearance for environment, as mandated by Environment Ministry’s 2006 notification on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).[40][41][42]

Status updates

  • Sep 2019: The master plan of Redevelopment of Central Vista Avenue is conceived by the Government of India.
  • Oct 2019: Ahmedabad based HCP Design Planning and Management Pvt Ltd, won the architectural consultancy work.
  • Sep 2020: Tata Projects Ltd won the construction work of New Parliament Building for ₹862 cr by the CPWD.
  • Dec 2020: Foundation stone of New Parliament Building laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 10 December 2020.
  • Jan 2021: Supreme Court of India approves the Central Vista Project on 5 January.[43] Shapoorji Pallonji and Company Pvt Ltd won the construction work of Rajpath Redevelopment for ₹477 cr from CPWD.
  • May 2021: The High Court of Delhi dismissed the plea on 31 May, that sought direction to suspend the construction activities. The court order also said that Central Vista Avenue is a vital and essential national project.[44]
  • Jun 2021: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs clears myth about project value of Central Vista Avenue. Only two construction projects worth ₹1,339 cr have been awarded up to now.[45][46]
  • 16 Sep 2021: Inauguration of the new Defense Offices Complex.[47][48]
  • 26 Sep 2021: Prime Minister Narendra Modi spent almost an hour at the site of the proposed Central Vista project and carried out a first-hand inspection of the construction status of the new Parliament building.There was no prior intimation or security detail regarding his visit.[49][50]
  • 23 Jun 2022: Vanijya Bhawan is inaugurated by PM, it is the new headquarters of Ministry of Commerce and Industry.[51]
  • 11 Jul 2022: Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a bronze cast of India's National Emblem on top of the new parliament building.[52]
  • 8 September 2022: Prime Minister inaugurated the revamped Central Vista Avenue and renamed it Kartavya Path, from Rajpath. This was done as a part of recent Anti-Colonial drive in the country. The Prime Minister also unveiled the statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose installed at the India Gate hexagon, under the Grand Canopy.

See also

References

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  2. ^ "Centralvista.gov.in". Archived from the original on 25 October 2021.
  3. ^ Government allocated nearly twice of Central Vista cost on vaccination: Puri
  4. ^ Sena slams Modi govt for Central Vista project amid pandemic
  5. ^ Union Minister Shreds Congress's "Hypocrisy" Over Central Vista Project
  6. ^ Bhandari, Shashwat (8 May 2021). "Central Vista just another ongoing project... only Congress that's obsessed about it, nobody else: Puri". www.indiatvnews.com. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  7. ^ a b Menon, AG Krishan (8 March 2020). "Modi's Central Vista plan shows Indian urban planners are as complicit in destroying heritage". The Print. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  8. ^ "New Parliament with 900 seats to be ready by 2024 polls, will have a triangular shape - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  9. ^ "New Parliament with 1272 seats to be ready way before 2024 polls, will have a triangular shape - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  10. ^ "Central Vista Redevelopment Project". Drishti IAS. 23 April 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  11. ^ "'There's nothing we are doing that Lutyens wouldn't have. It's radical, but doesn't rupture with past': Dr Bimal Patel". The Indian Express. 12 January 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  12. ^ Rajagopal, Krishnadas (5 January 2021). "Supreme Court approves Central Vista project". The Hindu. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  13. ^ "New Delhi to get a new makeover! Here's how the Central Vista redevelopment project being executed; details". The Financial Express. 2 November 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  14. ^ "Explained: How Delhi's Central Vista redevelopment project is being executed". The Indian Express. 6 November 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
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  16. ^ "Central vista revamp Project: Ahmedabad-based firm wins consultancy bid for Central Vista revamp". The Economic Times. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  17. ^ "False allegations levelled: Govt clears air on ₹1,300 cr Central Vista project". mint. 31 May 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  18. ^ "In a graphic: Central Vista revamp". India Today. Delhi. 23 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  19. ^ HCP"central-vista masterplan". Archived from the original on 16 October 2021.
  20. ^ Dash, Dipak K (11 December 2020). "New Parliament building will last 150 years, its Houses can seat 150% more MPs". The Times of India. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  21. ^ "India set to get a new Parliament. Here's all about it". The Economic Times. 10 December 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  22. ^ "Tata Projects Ltd Wins Bid to Construct New Parliament Building: Officials". The Wire. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  23. ^ "Central Vista Avenue to be best in world! Redevelopment includes bridge over canals, footpaths, green areas". The Financial Express. 5 February 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  24. ^ "Shapoorji Pallonji's bid for Central Vista avenue lowest". Hindustan Times. 7 January 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  25. ^ Srivathsan, A. (11 January 2020). "Whatever is built must reinforce the character Lutyens imagined: Bimal Patel". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  26. ^ Gupta, Moushumi Das (1 December 2020). "Doughnut-shaped buildings, underground shuttle — how new Central Secretariat will look like". The Print. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  27. ^ "These 12 landmark buildings will be demolished for Modi govt's Rs 20K cr Central Vista project". ThePrint. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  28. ^ Dutta, Arnab (16 January 2020). "New PM house, PMO & Parliament before 2024; ministries along central vista". Business Standard. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  29. ^ "Central Vista: PM residence to have 10 buildings; sources say no question of dropping proposed PMO". The Times of India. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  30. ^ Nath, Damini (16 January 2020). "IGNCA to be demolished, relocated as part of Central Vista revamp". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  31. ^ Nath, Damini (27 January 2020). "Role of relocated IGNCA as cultural space could be expanded: Minister". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  32. ^ Sengupta, Arghya (7 January 2021). "A new Parliament: Supreme Court judgment giving go-ahead to Central Vista revamp is a missed opportunity". The Times of India. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  33. ^ Ghosh, Shaunak; Chakraborty, Proma (13 January 2020). "Delhi's Central Vista: Why historians are against redeveloping it". Newslaundry. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  34. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 2 March 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  35. ^ Syed, Hameeda (22 May 2022). "Central Vista: Why Modi's New New Delhi isn't a shining city". Newslaundry. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
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  37. ^ Lalvani, Vijayta (27 April 2021). "As Covid-19 devastates Delhi, Central Vista project declared an essential service, work continues". Scroll.in. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  38. ^ Rahman, Yusha (11 December 2020). "Fact Check: The Cost Of Central Vista Project Is Rs 20,000 Crores, Not Rs 971 Crores". thelogicalindian.com. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  39. ^ "Myths and Realities".
  40. ^ Kishore, Alpana (13 May 2021). "Central Vista is an illegitimate monument to deceit". Newslaundry. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  41. ^ Kishore, Alpana (19 May 2021). "Bit by bit, trick by trick: How Central Vista became a reality". Newslaundry. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  42. ^ Sircar, Jawhar (19 September 2022). "The Modi Government's Blatant Disregard for Regulations in the Making of Kartavya Path". The Wire. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  43. ^ "Plan to erect New Parliament Building gets SC green light". The Hindu. 5 January 2020.
  44. ^ "Central Vista a vital, essential national project: Delhi HC". The Times of India. 31 May 2021.
  45. ^ "Centre busts myths around central vista, says claims mischievously exaggerated". Hindustan Times. 6 June 2021.
  46. ^ ""Rs 20,000 crore on Central Vista amid pandemic?" Cente dispels myths". NDTV. 6 June 2021.
  47. ^ "PM inaugurates new defence ministry offices, slams Opposition for criticising Central Vista project". Firstpost. 16 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  48. ^ "PM Modi opens new defence offices, takes a dig at Central Vista revamp critics". Hindustan Times. 16 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  49. ^ "PM Narendra Modi inspectes construction status of new Parliament building in Delhi on Sunday". Hindustan Times. 26 September 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  50. ^ "PM Visits Parliament Building Construction Site At Night, Inspects Work". NDTV.com. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  51. ^ "PM Modi inaugurates commerce ministry's new premises 'Vanijya Bhawan'". The Print. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  52. ^ "PM Modi unveils bronze National Emblem". indianexpress.com. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
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