NEW DELHI: Racing against time to start the redevelopment of Rajpath, which is also known as Central Vista Avenue, soon after the Republic Day celebration, the Centre has invited suggestions and objections from the public for the proposed project by January 29. While the move has raised eyebrows considering that the work has already been awarded, officials said as per the rule they need to get the approval of Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC) before the actual start of work.
Sources in the housing and urban affairs ministry said the Delhi Building Bylaws lists this site as “grade-1 heritage precincts” and, hence for getting the HCC nod, they need to go through the process. “Since there will be minor construction activities such as stepped garden, which can also be used as ampithatres, and toilet blocks around India Gate, we need to follow the due process. It was also followed for the War Memorial project,” said an official.
TOI has learnt that the government wanted the work on ground to start early next month and complete it in 10-11 months. The Centre has announced to hold the Republic Day parade of 2022 on the redeveloped Rajpath, marking India’s 75th year of independence.
The other two components of the Central Vista Redevelopment project — New Parliament Building and the Common Central Secretariat — are likely to be completed by December 2022 and in 2026, respectively.
“Going by the past experience and practices followed by the government, the public consultation looks like another exercise in futility, wasting everybody’s time and precious resources when everything is predetermined,” said Anil Sood of Chetna, who had earlier submitted objections against land use change for redevelopment projects. Activists had raised questions over the HCC’s approval of the New Parliament Building.
However, officials said the HCC had followed the due process for the New Parliament Building and there was no need for public consultation as per the law since the plot on which the new structure would come up didn’t fall under the “grade-1 heritage precincts” category. The panel, while approving the application, had observed that the new project was not impacting the existing Parliament and was also in sync with the skyline of the Central Vista.