News Analysis India

Tag: Central Vista Avenue

  • Efforts are on to hold winter session in new Parliament House

    By Express News Service

    The construction work of the new Parliament House has been expedited to meet the deadline so that the upcoming winter session can be held in the building as planned by the Government, said the minister of state for housing and urban affairs (MoHUA) Kaushal Kishore.

    “The work is going on. Coronavirus pandemic slowed down the progress but it has been accelerated. We are making efforts to complete the project at the earliest. We are hopeful that the winter session will be conducted in the newly built Parliament House. Efforts are being made for the same,” Kishore told The New Indian Express (TNIE).

     Responding to the questions about the progress on the Central Vista project in the Rajya Sabha earlier this week, the minister said that 44 percent of physical progress had been achieved on which the Government has spent Rs 480 crore so far.

    “All the projects are monitored by MoHUA and Central Public Works Department (CPWD) regularly on a weekly basis to avoid delays and any inconvenience to the general public,” the minister said in the House.

    ALSO READ: DMRC sign pact with CPWD to set up new ‘loop corridor’ to connect Central Vista offices

    The Central Vista Master Plan includes construction of a new parliament building, vice president enclave, and common central secretariat buildings 1, 2 & 3, and redevelopment of Central Vista Avenue.

    Total expenditure occurred on various components of the entire Central Vista Master Plan until now stands at Rs 1,146 crore. In 2020-21, it had spent Rs 419.55 crore on the project and in the current financial year 2021-22, expenditure of Rs 1,423 crore is expected, said the minister.

    The government is likely to spend Rs 2,285 crore on the entire Central Vista project in the next financial year (2022-23). Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the new Parliament in December 2020 and the work had begun a month later.  

    ALSO READ: Street vendors set up makeshift shops inside the Central Vista

    The construction of the new vice president’s enclave, which includes a residence for the vice president and a secretariat, has achieved three percent physical progress. The redevelopment project of Central Vista Avenue– from Vijay Chowk to India Gate– has met the target of 80 percent physical progress, and Rs 441 crore has been spent on this so far.

    The construction of three new buildings as part of a new common central secretariat has achieved three percent physical progress, and Rs 243 crore has so far been spent on the project, stated the minister in Rajya Sabha.

  • Old Parliament ‘unsafe’; new building, Central Vista Avenue to be completed on time: Union Minister Puri

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday said the construction of a new Parliament building and redevelopment of the Central Vista Avenue, stretching from Rashtrapati Bhavan to the India Gate, will be completed in a time-bound manner.

    Both these projects are being executed as part of the Modi government’s ambitious Central Vista redevelopment plan.

    Stressing upon the need of a new Parliament building, the Union housing and urban affairs minister said that the current one is “unsafe” as when it had been constructed, it was in Seismic Zone II, but now that area lies in Seismic Zone IV.

    During an interaction at the ‘India Today Conclave 2021’, Puri said that the existing building, which doesn’t have the capacity to accommodate more parliamentarians, was never designed to be Parliament and it was a council house of a colonial power.

    “The number of members (parliamentarians) has been increasing since we became an Independent country. So, there have been a lot of internal adjustments and new facilities have been added. From a purely structural point of view, it is an unsafe building. 

    “When the building was constructed, it was in Seismic Zone II and today, that area is in Seismic Zone IV. It is not an exaggeration. We don’t want to create panic, but you know you are above pushing the limit,” he said.

    The redevelopment of the Central Vista envisages a new Parliament building, a common central secretariat, revamping of the three-km Rajpath from Rashtrapati Bhavan to the India Gate, a new Prime Minister’s residence and office, and a new Vice President’s Enclave.

    Tata Projects Limited has been constructing a new Parliament building near the existing one under the Central Vista redevelopment project.

    The government said that the winter session of Parliament in December next year will be held in the new building.

    Shapoorji Pallonji and Co Pvt Ltd has been executing the redevelopment of Central Vista Avenue stretching from Rashtrapati Bhavan to the India Gate.

    The government plans to hold the Republic Day parade on the revamped Rajpath next year.

    “These two segments are actually the showcase segment (of the Central Vista redevelopment project),” he said, adding that these two projects will be completed within the time period.

    Besides, the government had floated tenders for the construction of three new buildings of Common Central Secretariat on the plot where the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts is currently located Last month, four infrastructure firms — Tata Projects Limited, Uttar Pradesh Rajkiya Nirman Nigam Ltd, L&T Construction and NCC Ltd — had submitted technical bids for the project.

  • Redeveloped Central Vista will host Republic Day parade in 2022: Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The redevelopment work of the Central Vista Avenue, stretching from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate here, will be completed within two-and-a-half months, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday.

    According to the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, the project will be ready in time to host the Republic Day parade in 2022. Puri asserted that the Winter session of Parliament next year will take place in the new Parliament building.

    He was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of two new multi-storey swanky office complexes at Kasturba Gandhi Marg and Africa Avenue for over 7,000 employees of the Defence Ministry and the armed forces.

    ALSO READ| Central Vista project: Republic Day parade next year to be held on refurbished Rajpath

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated these two new buildings earlier in the day. “I would like to give you (PM) assurance that the redevelopment work of Central Vista Avenue will be completed in two-and-a-half months, where the Republic Day parade will be held (next year),” Puri said.

    Talking about the two new office complexes for the employees of the Defence Ministry, the minister said the construction work of these buildings has been completed in just 12 months. The project has generated over 6.4 lakh person days’ of employment.

    He said that light gauge steel framing (LGSF) technology has been used in constructing these two new office buildings. “Under LGSF technology, there should be a minimum 24 months of time period for such buildings, but it has been reduced to 12 months,” he said, adding that 8,782 metric tonnes of steel and 7,920 metric tonnes of cement have been used in the construction work.

    The redevelopment project of the Central Vista — the nation’s power corridor — envisages a new triangular Parliament building, a common central secretariat, revamping of the three-km-long Rajpath, from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, a new prime minister’s residence and PMO, and a new Vice President’s Enclave.

  • Centre says ‘only 22 heritage trees relocated’ in Central Vista Avenue redevelopment project

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Only 22 heritage trees had to be relocated because of the Central Vista Avenue redevelopment project, the government informed Parliament on Friday.

    The redevelopment project of the Central Vista — the power corridor of the country — includes the revamping of the three-km-long Rajpath from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate.

    It also envisages a new triangular Parliament building, a Common Central Secretariat and new residences for the prime minister and the vice president.

    Responding to a question in Lok Sabha on the relocation of trees to the Badarpur Eco-Park, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said according to information received from the Central Public Works Department, “only 22 number of trees have been relocated from the Central Vista Avenue to the eco-park, Badarpur, and there is no other proposal to relocate trees from the Central Vista Avenue to Badarpur”.

    ALSO READ | Central Vista project: Republic Day parade next year to be held on refurbished Rajpath

    He said there is a proposal to plant 10 saplings for every tree uprooted or removed, and the compensatory plantation will be done at the Badarpur Eco-Park, Badarpur.

    On another query on census of trees, Yadav said, “As per available information, no tree census has been conducted in the recent past.”

    “However, the Forest Survey of India (FSI) carries out sample plot based regular inventory of trees in forests and outside forests in the country under its National Forest Inventory Programme,” he said.

    On the basis of data collected growing stock — stems and volume of wood — estimates are generated at the national and state levels, he told Lok Sabha in a written response.

    To a question about the survival rates of relocated trees and details of existing and ongoing research that supports relocation, Yadav said the Indian Council for Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun, had conducted a study on tree translocation in India last year and it has submitted a report to the ministry.

    “There is no further ongoing study under the ICFRE at present in this regard,” he said.

    ALSO READ | PM Modi should have diverted Central Vista money for Covid vaccines: Congress MP

    The Centre had earlier rubbished reports that several jamun trees, nearly 100 years old, could be uprooted as a part of the Central Vista project, and had claimed that the overall green cover will increase.

    In May, the Union housing and urban affairs ministry had said that only a few trees will be transplanted as part of the project.

    The environment ministry has already granted clearance for expansion and renovation of the existing Parliament building, which is a part of the Rs 13,450 crore Central Vista redevelopment project.

    The construction of the prime minister’s residence under the ambitious project will be completed by December 2022, the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) had informed a central government appointed expert panel, which has given its nod to the project.

    The CPWD, the project developer, informed the expert appraisal committee (EAC) that the expansion of Parliament building and construction of new Parliament building will be done by November 2022 and prime minister’s residence will be constructed by December 2022.

  • Central Vista project: Republic Day parade next year to be held on refurbished Rajpath

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Republic Day parade next year will be held on the refurbished Rajpath as the redevelopment work of the Central Vista Avenue, stretching from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, is expected to be completed by this November, officials said on Friday.

    Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who reviewed the status of ongoing construction works, said citizens will get an avenue that they will be proud of.

    “Reviewed the status of ongoing construction works of Central Vista Avenue project with the secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, officials of ministry and CPWD, contractor and architect Bimal Patel. The progress so far is satisfactory and on schedule. Citizens will get an avenue they will be proud of,” he tweeted.

    An official in the ministry said that the Rajpath redevelopment project includes large scale stonework, construction of underpasses, underground amenities blocks and horticulture work and sufficient space for parking.

    “Twelve bridges on artificial ponds are being built. People visiting Rajpath will have an amazing experience. The redevelopment of the Central Vista Avenue will be completed by November and the Republic Day parade next year will be held on the newly-developed Rajpath,” the official said.

    Infrastructure firm Shapoorji Pallonji and Company Private Limited has been executing the project as part of the government’s ambitious Central Vista redevelopment project.

    The redevelopment project of the Central Vista — the nation’s power corridor — envisages a new triangular Parliament building, a common central secretariat, revamping of the three-km-long Rajpath, from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, new prime minister residence and PMO, and new Vice President Enclave.

  • Photography, video recording banned at Central Vista project area amid growing opposition from politicians, activists

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Amid criticism over the Central Vista Redevelopment Project, the Central Public Works Department has prohibited photography and video recording at the construction site near India Gate.

    Sign boards have come up at the redevelopment site of the Central Vista Avenue, which read: ‘No photography’, ‘No video recording’.

    An official in the CPWD, which is executing the project, did not comment on this when contacted.

    The government has been facing criticism from the opposition for executing the Central Vista Redevelopment Project amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic.

    The redevelopment of the Central Vista, the nation’s power corridor, envisages a new Parliament building, a common central secretariat, revamping of the 3-km Rajpath from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, new Prime Minister’s residence and office, and a new Vice President Enclave.

    Last week, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri had attacked the Congress for criticising the government over the project, saying the party’s discourse is “bizarre” as its leaders themselves had supported the idea when the UPA was in power.

    Several civil society groups and environmental organisations across India on Wednesday appealed to the Centre to halt its ambitious Central Vista Redevelopment Project in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

    The statement issued by 65 organisations urged the central government to halt the Rs 13,450 crore project and divert all available resources towards handling the pandemic.

    ALSO READ | 12 Oppn leaders write to PM Modi demanding free mass vaccination, suspension of Central Vista project

    “All the unnecessary expenditures, including the construction of lavish Central Vista, must be halted and all available resources must be diverted to urgent COVID response,” said a statement issued by Vikalp Sangam, one of the organisations.

    It works towards socially just and ecologically sustainable, alternative pathways to well-being and suggests short, medium and long term measures for mitigating the impacts of the pandemic on the lives and livelihoods of millions of people.

    The statement said that the spread of coronavirus has shown that environment and human health are related.

    “The abysmal state of the public health system and the callous ignoring of credible expertise and clear warnings, by the central and most state governments, have brought us here.

    Doctors, nurses, paramedics, and all other frontline workers are overstretched and have lost their colleagues in the line of duty.

    “The pandemic’s second wave in India is a systematic political failure for which the government needs to be held accountable. The spread of the virus has shown the strong relationship between our environment and human health,” the statement said.

    Ritu Priya, professor at Centre of Social Medicine and Community Health, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and a member of the Vikalp Sangam Core group said, “The focus now must shift on human and environmental health and well-being.”

    The statement said given the impacts of climate change and other ecological damage and impending pandemics that are predicted to become more frequent in the coming decades, “it is important to question a development ideology based only on growth in GDP, which is meaningless as shown by the pandemic”.

    “Such growth has only increased inequalities, economic insecurity amongst tens of millions, and ecological devastation,” it said.

    The full focus of economic activities in the name of ‘development’ from now on must be on human and environmental health and well-being.

    Indicators that reflect these, beyond GDP, must guide economic planning, it added.

    “While the central and state governments have necessary resources to carry these out, and must be held accountable for them, civil society groups and bodies of local self-governance in villages and cities must also put full efforts into making these possible.”

    “Indeed, the more communities are able to be relatively independent and self-reliant in avoiding or dealing with such crises, the stronger India will be,” it said.

  • No jamun trees uprooted in Central Vista Avenue revamp, few to be transplanted: Puri

    This comes a day after reports said that several jamun trees could be uprooted as part of the Central Vista Avenue redevelopment project.