Under the redevelopment of the 3 km long Central Vista Avenue, bridges over canals, pedestrian underpasses, wide footpaths, new parking lots, more green areas, benches as well as trees have been proposed. Construction work under the project’s phase 1 commenced on Thursday, with Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri performing a bhoomi pujan. According to an IE report, the Modi government plans to conduct the Republic Day parade of the year 2022 on the newly developed Rajpath, a project being implemented under the ambitious Central Vista redevelopment plan. The Central Public Works Department awarded the project’s phase 1 to Shapoorji Pallonji Company, which quoted Rs 477 crore cost, through competitive bidding on January 8.
According to the report, permission has been obtained from the Heritage Conservation Committee, Central Vista Committee, Delhi Urban Arts Commission as well as local bodies. As per the plan released by MoHUA, there will be multiple changes to the Avenue. According to the ministry, the proposal’s objective is to make the Avenue an icon that truly befits New India. The ministry further claimed that this will be one of the world’s best Central Vista Avenues.
It will be achieved by strengthening, refurbishing as well as restoring the avenue’s landscape and tree cover; offering amenities, making it comfortable for civic users as well as tourists; making it pedestrian-friendly and also, easier for the traffic to negotiate, the ministry said. Besides the design ensures arrangements for national events cause minimal disruption, offers space as well as facilities for vendors, and also ensures continuity and integrity of the original layout of the Vista, its geometries as well as its architectural character, it added.
Under the project’s phase 1, the space of lawn will increase from 3,50,000 sq metres to around 3,90,000 sq metres, with more trees lining it. Also, a sewage treatment as well as irrigation system will be provided for the lawns. At Janpath and C-Hexagon that cross Rajpath, underpasses will be constructed, while footpaths or wide walkways are to be constructed parallel to the avenue. For the water to remain clean, canals will be retrofitted with aerators and there would be as many as 12 bridges constructed across them.
Apart from these features, the avenue will also have drinking water facilities, toilets and vending areas. Additionally, an amphitheatre is also planned to come up near India Gate. Moreover, a foldable seating system has been proposed as well. Some of the other changes include CCTVs, signages as well as a rainwater harvesting system, the report added.