News Analysis India

Tag: Central Vista project

  • ‘PM Modi’s systematic erasure campaign’: Congress reacts to National Museum’s relocation

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI:  Criticising the Centre over the National Museum being vacated under the Central Vista redevelopment project, the Congress on Friday alleged that yet another majestic structure will be lost as part of the “systematic erasure campaign” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh shared pictures of the National Museum building and said there was no guarantee that this national treasure would survive the supposed relocation.

    “Yet another majestic building that combines finely the modern with the traditional is to vanish by the end of this year. The National Museum designed by G B Deolalikar and inaugurated in December 1960 is being demolished. Incidentally, he also designed the main block of the Supreme Court which hopefully will survive,” he said in a post on X.

    “The nation loses not just a majestic structure but also loses a piece of its recent history which is the target of a systematic erasure campaign of the Prime Minister. It has over 2,00,000 priceless exhibits and there is no guarantee that this national treasure will survive the supposed relocation,” Ramesh said.

    Yet another majestic building that combines finely the modern with the traditional is to vanish by the end of this year. The National Museum designed by G.B. Deolalikar and inaugurated in December 1960 is being demolished. Incidentally, he also designed the main block of the… pic.twitter.com/ecD7wBK8Sk
    — Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) September 29, 2023
    The Congress leader said the National Museum also has a wonderful history as its first director was Grace Morley, an American museologist who came to India for the first time in 1960 in that position.

    “She remained Director till 1966 but later continued to stay in Delhi where she was cremated in 1985. She earned the respect of one and all and was referred to as Mataji Morley,” he said in his post.

    The National Museum in Delhi, home to a collection of rich ancient artefacts, is likely to be vacated by the end of this year as part of the Central Vista redevelopment project, sources said on Thursday.

    It is not clear whether the over-60-year-old building, one of the most iconic modern landmarks of the capital city, will be retained or razed after its objects and collections are shifted.

    “As part of the Central Vista redevelopment project, the plan is to vacate the National Museum by the end of this year. Instructions have been given to search for a space where the collections could be safely and properly shifted,” a source said.

    The collections will eventually be housed in the proposed Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum which would be located in the North Block and South Block of the Raisina Hill complex.

    On August 15, 1949, the National Museum was inaugurated in the Rashtrapati Bhavan by C Rajagopalachari, the then Governor-General of India, before finding a home at Janpath.

    NEW DELHI:  Criticising the Centre over the National Museum being vacated under the Central Vista redevelopment project, the Congress on Friday alleged that yet another majestic structure will be lost as part of the “systematic erasure campaign” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh shared pictures of the National Museum building and said there was no guarantee that this national treasure would survive the supposed relocation.

    “Yet another majestic building that combines finely the modern with the traditional is to vanish by the end of this year. The National Museum designed by G B Deolalikar and inaugurated in December 1960 is being demolished. Incidentally, he also designed the main block of the Supreme Court which hopefully will survive,” he said in a post on X.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “The nation loses not just a majestic structure but also loses a piece of its recent history which is the target of a systematic erasure campaign of the Prime Minister. It has over 2,00,000 priceless exhibits and there is no guarantee that this national treasure will survive the supposed relocation,” Ramesh said.

    Yet another majestic building that combines finely the modern with the traditional is to vanish by the end of this year. The National Museum designed by G.B. Deolalikar and inaugurated in December 1960 is being demolished. Incidentally, he also designed the main block of the… pic.twitter.com/ecD7wBK8Sk
    — Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) September 29, 2023
    The Congress leader said the National Museum also has a wonderful history as its first director was Grace Morley, an American museologist who came to India for the first time in 1960 in that position.

    “She remained Director till 1966 but later continued to stay in Delhi where she was cremated in 1985. She earned the respect of one and all and was referred to as Mataji Morley,” he said in his post.

    The National Museum in Delhi, home to a collection of rich ancient artefacts, is likely to be vacated by the end of this year as part of the Central Vista redevelopment project, sources said on Thursday.

    It is not clear whether the over-60-year-old building, one of the most iconic modern landmarks of the capital city, will be retained or razed after its objects and collections are shifted.

    “As part of the Central Vista redevelopment project, the plan is to vacate the National Museum by the end of this year. Instructions have been given to search for a space where the collections could be safely and properly shifted,” a source said.

    The collections will eventually be housed in the proposed Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum which would be located in the North Block and South Block of the Raisina Hill complex.

    On August 15, 1949, the National Museum was inaugurated in the Rashtrapati Bhavan by C Rajagopalachari, the then Governor-General of India, before finding a home at Janpath.

  • PM Modi to inaugurate new Parliament building on May 28

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the newly-constructed Parliament building on May 28.

    Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla met Modi on Thursday and extended an invitation to inaugurate the new building, the Lok Sabha Secretariat said.

    The new Parliament building can comfortably seat 888 members in the Lok Sabha chamber and 300 in the Rajya Sabha chamber, it said.

    In the case of a joint sitting of both Houses, a total of 1,280 members can be accommodated in the Lok Sabha chamber.

    The prime minister had laid the foundation stone of the new parliament building on December 10, 2020. The new building has been built in record time with quality construction, the Lok Sabha Secretariat said.

    The present Parliament building was completed in 1927 and is now 96 years old. Over the years, the old building was found to be inadequate for present-day requirements.

    Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha had passed resolutions urging the government to construct a new building for Parliament.

    The new building, constructed by Tata Projects Ltd, will have a grand constitution hall to showcase India’s democratic heritage, a lounge for MPs, a library, multiple committee rooms, dining areas and ample parking space.

    The triangular-shaped four-storey building has a built-up area of 64,500 square metres. The building has three main gates — Gyan Dwar, Shakti Dwar, and Karma Dwar. It will have separate entrances for VIPs, MPs, and visitors.

    The Congress took a swipe at the prime minister over the new Parliament building, calling it a “personal vanity project.”

    Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh posted on Twitter a picture of Modi while inspecting the construction of the building and said, “The sole architect, designer and worker for the new Parliament building, which he will inaugurate on May 28th.”

    “The picture tells it all – personal vanity project,” Ramesh tweeted along with the picture.

    The existing building served as independent India’s first Parliament and witnessed the adoption of the Constitution.

    Originally called the Council House, the building housed the Imperial Legislative Council.

    The Parliament building witnessed the addition of two floors in 1956 to address the demand for more space.

    In 2006, the Parliament Museum was added to showcase the 2,500 years of rich democratic heritage of India.

    Officials said the present building was never designed to accommodate a bicameral legislature and the seating arrangements were cramped and cumbersome, with no desks beyond the second row.

    The Central Hall has a seating capacity only for 440 people and the need for more space was acutely felt during joint sittings of both the houses.

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the newly-constructed Parliament building on May 28.

    Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla met Modi on Thursday and extended an invitation to inaugurate the new building, the Lok Sabha Secretariat said.

    The new Parliament building can comfortably seat 888 members in the Lok Sabha chamber and 300 in the Rajya Sabha chamber, it said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    In the case of a joint sitting of both Houses, a total of 1,280 members can be accommodated in the Lok Sabha chamber.

    The prime minister had laid the foundation stone of the new parliament building on December 10, 2020. The new building has been built in record time with quality construction, the Lok Sabha Secretariat said.

    The present Parliament building was completed in 1927 and is now 96 years old. Over the years, the old building was found to be inadequate for present-day requirements.

    Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha had passed resolutions urging the government to construct a new building for Parliament.

    The new building, constructed by Tata Projects Ltd, will have a grand constitution hall to showcase India’s democratic heritage, a lounge for MPs, a library, multiple committee rooms, dining areas and ample parking space.

    The triangular-shaped four-storey building has a built-up area of 64,500 square metres. The building has three main gates — Gyan Dwar, Shakti Dwar, and Karma Dwar. It will have separate entrances for VIPs, MPs, and visitors.

    The Congress took a swipe at the prime minister over the new Parliament building, calling it a “personal vanity project.”

    Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh posted on Twitter a picture of Modi while inspecting the construction of the building and said, “The sole architect, designer and worker for the new Parliament building, which he will inaugurate on May 28th.”

    “The picture tells it all – personal vanity project,” Ramesh tweeted along with the picture.

    The existing building served as independent India’s first Parliament and witnessed the adoption of the Constitution.

    Originally called the Council House, the building housed the Imperial Legislative Council.

    The Parliament building witnessed the addition of two floors in 1956 to address the demand for more space.

    In 2006, the Parliament Museum was added to showcase the 2,500 years of rich democratic heritage of India.

    Officials said the present building was never designed to accommodate a bicameral legislature and the seating arrangements were cramped and cumbersome, with no desks beyond the second row.

    The Central Hall has a seating capacity only for 440 people and the need for more space was acutely felt during joint sittings of both the houses.

  • New Parliament building getting final touches, no official word yet on inauguration

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Final touches are being given to the new Parliament building and it is likely to be ready by the end of this month, sources said on Tuesday.

    Although there is no official word from the government yet, sources said that it may be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last week of May to mark nine years of his government.

    “The new Parliament building is almost ready and final touches are being given to it. The building will be ready by May 28,” a source said.

    Construction of the new Parliament building began two years ago. The new building is part of the redevelopment of the Central Vista, the nation’s power corridor.

    Revamping the three-km road from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to the India Gate, constructing a common central secretariat, a new office and residence of the prime minister, and a new vice-president enclave are also part of the project being executed by the Cental Public Works Department.

    “The new Parliament building will be ready before the end of this month. However, there is no official date yet for its inauguration,” the source said.

    Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said in November last year that it was up to the government to select the date of the building’s inauguration.

    In December 2020, Prime Minister Modi had laid the foundation stone of the new Parliament building which will have modern facilities.

    The new Parliament building, constructed by Tata Projects Ltd, will have a grand constitution hall to showcase India’s democratic heritage, a lounge for members of Parliament, a library, multiple committee rooms, dining areas and ample parking space.

    The tender to construct the new Parliament building was awarded to Tata Projects in September 2020 at an estimated cost of Rs 861 crore and later, the cost rose to around Rs 1,200 crore due to additional works.

    The original deadline for completing the project was November last year.

    To mark the ninth anniversary of its government at the Centre, the BJP has planned a month-long outreach exercise, including a rally by Prime Minister Modi and 51 public meetings by its senior leaders.

    The campaign is expected to start from May 30, the day Modi took oath for his second term as prime minister in 2019, and will continue till June 30, sources said.

    Modi is likely to address a rally on either May 30 or May 31 to kickstart the exercise.

    NEW DELHI: Final touches are being given to the new Parliament building and it is likely to be ready by the end of this month, sources said on Tuesday.

    Although there is no official word from the government yet, sources said that it may be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last week of May to mark nine years of his government.

    “The new Parliament building is almost ready and final touches are being given to it. The building will be ready by May 28,” a source said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Construction of the new Parliament building began two years ago. The new building is part of the redevelopment of the Central Vista, the nation’s power corridor.

    Revamping the three-km road from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to the India Gate, constructing a common central secretariat, a new office and residence of the prime minister, and a new vice-president enclave are also part of the project being executed by the Cental Public Works Department.

    “The new Parliament building will be ready before the end of this month. However, there is no official date yet for its inauguration,” the source said.

    Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said in November last year that it was up to the government to select the date of the building’s inauguration.

    In December 2020, Prime Minister Modi had laid the foundation stone of the new Parliament building which will have modern facilities.

    The new Parliament building, constructed by Tata Projects Ltd, will have a grand constitution hall to showcase India’s democratic heritage, a lounge for members of Parliament, a library, multiple committee rooms, dining areas and ample parking space.

    The tender to construct the new Parliament building was awarded to Tata Projects in September 2020 at an estimated cost of Rs 861 crore and later, the cost rose to around Rs 1,200 crore due to additional works.

    The original deadline for completing the project was November last year.

    To mark the ninth anniversary of its government at the Centre, the BJP has planned a month-long outreach exercise, including a rally by Prime Minister Modi and 51 public meetings by its senior leaders.

    The campaign is expected to start from May 30, the day Modi took oath for his second term as prime minister in 2019, and will continue till June 30, sources said.

    Modi is likely to address a rally on either May 30 or May 31 to kickstart the exercise.

  • 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.

  • Central Vista project: Supreme Court dismisses plea challenging change in land use of plot

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea challenging the change in land use of a plot where the new official residence of the vice president will come up as part of the ambitious Central Vista project in Lutyens’ Delhi.

    A bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar said that sufficient explanation has been offered by authorities concerned which justify the change in land use of the plot.

    “We find no reason to examine the matter further and therefore put a quietus to the entire controversy by dismissing this petition,” the bench, also comprising Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and C T Ravikumar, said.

    The Central Vista revamp, announced in September 2019 envisages a new triangular Parliament building, with a seating capacity for 900 to 1,200 MPs, that is to be constructed by August, 2022 when the country will celebrate its 75th Independence Day.

    The common Central Secretariat is to be built by 2024 under the project that covers a three-km stretch from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate in the national capital.

    The apex court was hearing a petition challenging the change in land use of plot number one from recreational area to residential.

  • 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.

  • New parliament building necessity, no MP objected when both Houses requested: Speaker Om Birla

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Not a single MP in either Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha had objected to the construction of a new parliament building when a request for it was made by both the Houses to the Centre, Speaker of the lower house Om Birla said on Friday.

    Describing the new Parliament building as a “necessity”, he said though the construction is running 16 days behind schedule, it will be completed by October 2022.

    “We were (initially) 27 days ahead of schedule. But after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic (second wave), the construction is now 16 days behind schedule,” Birla said.

    To questions on construction of a new parliament house at a press conference here, the Lok Sabha speaker said the existing building cannot be expanded and does not cater to the needs of changing times.

    “The existing building is a historical one. Many historic decisions were taken in this building. But it cannot be expanded further and therefore a new building is a necessity,” he said.

    About MPs from opposition parties opposing the project, Birla said it was both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha which had requested the Central government for a new parliament building.

    “When the request for a new parliament building was made by both the houses, no MP had objected to it. No one has approached me opposing it,” Birla said.

    Opposition parties and the BJP are engaged in a political slugfest over the construction of the new building.

    The opposition parties say the project should be stopped to save funds for management of the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Stop Central Vista project, give free doses to all: Ex-bureaucrats to PM

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: A group of 116 former civil servants have written an open letter to PM Narendra Modi urging the Centre to provide for a free vaccination to all Indian citizens and ramp up RT-PCR testing in both rural and urban areas.

    The civil servants, including former cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekhar, former health secretary K Sujatha Rao, former foreign secretary and ex-national security adviser Shivshankar Menon, former adviser to the PM T K A Nair, former chief information commissioner Wajahat Habibullah and former Delhi L-G Najeeb Jung, said the government seems to be more concerned with managing the narrative of “efficient” management of the Covid crisis rather than addressing the crucial issues. 

    They added that the steady erosion of the Cabinet system of governance, the worsening of federal ties with the states the lack of informed consultation with experts and Parliamentary committees, the failure to take the timely advice of expert panels and the absence of effective coordination with state governments have had disastrous consequences for the poor and disadvantaged and now for the better-off sections of society as well.

    “Despite warnings from the international community and our scientists, the breathing space between the first and the second waves was not used to augment critical resources such as medical staff, hospital beds, oxygen supplies, ventilators and drugs and other medical supplies,” the letter said. The former bureaucrats also said the holding of assembly elections may have been unavoidable, but party functionaries threw all caution to the winds by conducting huge public rallies in different states.

    “Make adequate funds available to the states for provision of medical facilities and stop expenditures on non-essential items like the Central Vista Redevelopment Project. Draw on the existing surplus foodgrain stocks to provide free rations to the families of the marginalised and deprived sections of society as well as unorganised labour,” they added. On PM Cares fund, the letter said the PM-Cares fund was set up when there was already a PM National Relief Fund in place.    

  • PM missing along with vaccines, oxygen, medicines: Rahul continues his attack on Modi

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched an attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, alleging that he is missing along with vaccines, oxygen and medicines during the COVID-19 pandemic and what remains is the central vista project and the PM’s photos.

    “The prime minister is also missing, along with vaccines, oxygen and medicines. All that remain are the central vista project, GST on medicines and the prime minister’s photos here and there,” he said in a tweet in Hindi.

    Gandhi has been attacking the prime minister over the government’s handling of the pandemic and has been critical of the Centre for the lack of oxygen, medicines and vaccines in the country amid a surge in the number of cases during the second wave of COVID-19.

    Congress’s chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also hit out at the government over dead bodies floating in the Ganga.

    “What time has come in this New India that even dead bodies floating in rivers are not visible to the government. Shame,” he said in a tweet in Hindi, while citing a news report about the bodies being buried in sand in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao.

    With a single-day rise of 3,62,727 cases, India’s COVID-19 tally climbed to 2,37,03,665 on Thursday, while the death toll due to the viral disease rose to 2,58,317 with 4,120 more people succumbing to it, according to the health ministry.

  • Covid-compliant facility available for workers at Central Vista Project site, Modi govt tells Delhi HC

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Defending ongoing work on Central Vista projects, the Central government on Tuesday told the Delhi High Court that the petition seeking to stop the construction of the project is “sheer abuse of the process of law and is one more attempt to stall the project.”

    The Centre also urged the High Court to dismiss the petition with exemplary costs on the ground that it is an abuse of the process of law.

    “Such attempts are going on since the inception of the project under one pretext or the other and in one name or the other. The following facts will satisfy this Hon’ble Court that the petitioner has while taking refuge under the present situation, made an attempt to stall the project under the garb of ‘public interest’,” the Centre said in its affidavit.

    “Further, it is important to note that about 400 workers were engaged at site of the aforementioned project well before the imposition of curfew on April 19, 2021. The workers are staying on the site and therefore the notification relied upon by the petitioner is fully complied with. The petitioner is fully aware about this fact and he has deliberately suppressed it in the petition,” it said.

    The Centre’s reply came on a petition seeking to stop construction activity on the Central Vista Project in compliance with orders issued by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority during the subsistence of the peak phase of the pandemic.

    The Central government submitted that while the arrangements for the stay of the workers was being made at the site, permission was sought for transportation of materials and labour from Sarai Kale Khan camp to the work site, including permission for the movement of supervisory staff. It is submitted that the said permission was granted on April 19, 2021, and was valid up to April 30, 2021.

    It submitted that in the meantime, a COVID-19 compliant facility was installed at the worksite itself, to accommodate the 250 workers who had expressed their willingness to stay put and continue the aforesaid work. The facility provides for strict implementation of COVID protocol strictly and also adherence to COVID appropriate behaviour, such as sanitization, thermal screening, physical/social distancing and masking.

    Moreover, the contractor has provided for a health insurance of all the concerned workers against COVID-19 and a separate facility for conducting the RT-PCR test, isolation and medical aid has also been provided at site, the Centre’s affidavit said.

    “More importantly it must be noted that pursuant to there being a dedicated medical facility at the concerned work site, the workers will have access to immediate medical attention and proper care which would otherwise have been extremely difficult, in these unprecedented times considering the burden on our existing medical infrastructure,” read the affidavit.

    “It is submitted that as per para 8 of DDMA order dated 19.04.2021, construction activities during curfew are permitted where labourers are residing on-site. Therefore, in view of the same, it is submitted that the present Writ Petition ought to be dismissed,” it said.

    Earlier in the day, the Delhi High Court said that it will hear tomorrow petition seeking to stop construction activity in Central Vista Project in compliance with orders issued by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority during the subsistence of the peak phase of the pandemic.

    Meanwhile, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that the Centre has filed a reply to the petition.

    A Bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh noted that reply was not on record and directed to bring the Center’s affidavit on record.

    Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra, who was representing the petitioner, told the Court that the issue concern to a specific area where construction is going on unabated. On Monday, the matter was mentioned by senior advocate Siddharth Luthra for preponement of the date of hearing as it was earlier listed for May 17 for a detailed hearing.

    The bench of Justice DN Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh on Monday asked him to file an application and we will hear the matter tomorrow. Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra also informed the bench about the Supreme Court direction in this regard.

    On May 7, the Supreme Court urged the Delhi High Court to consider the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by petitioner Anya Malhotra seeking a stay in construction work of the Central Vista project in New Delhi amid the prevailing condition of coronavirus cases across the country and asked High Court to issue orders related to the matter.

    In December 2020, the Central Vista Development Project was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India. The Project intends to revamp 86 acres of land in Delhi, which includes Rajpath, Parliament House, Rashtrapati Bhavan, India Gate, North Block and South Block, Shastri Bhavan, India Gate and Udyog Bhavan.

    The project envisages the construction of a new Parliament building, a common secretariat for central government offices, the Prime Minister’s office and residence, the Special Protection Group building and the Vice-President Enclave. The construction work for the project is being carried out since January 5, 2021, after the Supreme Court dismissed Petitions challenging the project.