Delhi Has All New Central Vista Avenue Now. What Has Changed And Everything Else You Want To Know

The revamped 3 km-long Central Vista Avenue will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. Here’s all the information you need to know about the redevelopment project. 

View of Rajpath at the Central Vista Avenue

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate Central Vista Avenue on Thursday, September 8. Rajpath, now to be called Kartavya Path, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House, North and South Block, India Gate, and the National Archives are among the attractions on the 3.2-kilometre-long Central Vista in Delhi. The government's plan to redevelop the existing area is known as the Central Vista Redevelopment Project.

Now on Thursday, the revamped Central Vista Avenue will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi. Here’s all the information you need to know about the project; 

What Is Central Vista Redevelopment Project? 

In 2019, the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) suggested redeveloping Central Vista. The project aims to upgrade the 3 km Rajpath from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, erect a triangular-shaped Parliament building next to the current one and establish the Common Central Secretariat. The development of Central Vista Avenue and the renovation of the North and South Blocks into museums are also included. For the shared Central Secretariat, 87-story buildings will be constructed to house the offices of several ministries. As part of this project, Nirman Bhavan, Krishi Bhavan, and Vigyan Bhavan will be destroyed.

Central Vista Avenue Inauguration: Curbs On Roads Leading To India Gate. Check Traffic Restriction On Sep 8

Delhi's Central Vista Avenue wears an all-new look as it is set to open for the people pic.twitter.com/IXhhlK21G4

— ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2022

Why Central Vista Redevelopment 

The government has said the Central Vista Redevelopment Plan is being put forth in order to better public facilities, amenities, parking facilities, etc., as well as to suit the Parliament's current and future space needs. The planned redevelopment project is motivated by concerns about fire safety, acoustics, and the deteriorated state of the century-old building.

There will be a new Parliament building and a shared Central Secretariat as part of this expansive project. The strength of the parliament is anticipated to expand from 545 seats to 900 seats after this project is finished.

The initiative also aims to enhance Central Vista's beauty and turn it into a premier tourism destination.

What Changes For People At New Central Vista? 

Increased Green Space: There will be 12 low-level bridges crossing the water canals, increasing the amount of green space on Rajpath from 3.5 lakh square metres to 3.9 lakh square metres. There will also be a tree avenue and the space will be disability-friendly.

Better Connectivity And Parking Space: The entire route will be connected by four underpasses, making it a seamless road that can be walked down, and the constructed parking spots will be able to hold about 1,000 cars at once.

Systematic Food Stalls: Visitors and tourists will also have access to the 16 food vendors in the designated vending locations. Up until this point, vendors had been placed randomly along Rajpath, which would annoy locals and tourists and frequently result in severe traffic jams.

Other Changes: Additionally planned is a pedestrian and bicycle path connecting India Gate to the Yamuna river. The route will be served by a shuttle bus. Behind the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the MoHUA is also developing a 75-acre National Biodiversity Arboretum that will store collections of plants from various climatic regions of India.

The Central Vista Avenue

Central Vista Avenue, which extends from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, is used for the Republic Day parade and various other ceremonial functions.

The redevelopment of Central Vista Avenue started on February 4, 2021. Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri performed 'Bhoomi Pujan' at the India Gate Lawn to kick off the Central Vista Avenue redevelopment project. The project entailed the re-organisation of public spaces and the strengthening of recreational facilities.

The original stretch of Central Vista Avenue has undergone multiple changes over the course of time. It was observed that the avenue remained inadequate to cater to the increasing traffic needs of the area, since the original landscape had not been designed for heavy use. The public spaces and facilities for civic users, including pathways, had become overstressed with heavy traffic and footfall. It was not pedestrian friendly and lacked facility for vendors.  

Central Vista Avenue — What Has Changed

The Central Vista Avenue has been refurbished keeping in mind the need to tackle all modern-day challenges around the area, the authorities have claimed, adding the infrastructure has been upgraded, and new social amenities introduced, while retaining its essential character.

The new redeveloped stretch has red granite walkways spreading around 1.1 lakh square metres with greenery all around. 

Crushed brick walkways along both sides of the boulevard have been replaced with sandstone pavements. Besides, an amphitheatre and 16 food stalls, and low-level bridges over refurbished water channels have been developed. 

Sprawling lawns spreading over nearly 100 acres now have eight improved public amenities blocks.

Four underpasses have been created to facilitate pedestrians and space to accommodate approximately 1,000 cars is being made available.

More than 133 light poles along the Rajpath, 4,087 trees, 114 modern signages and stepped gardens are introduced. As many as 987 concrete bollards have been installed on the Rajpath in the Central Vista Avenue redevelopment project.