Housing and urban affairs minister Hardeep Puri on February 4 performed the ground-breaking ceremony or bhoomi pujan for the redevelopment of Central Vista Avenue.
Other officials present on the occasion included Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary, MoHUA, DG, CPWD, and senior officers of the ministry. The ceremony was performed at India Gate in the Capital.
The government had approved a proposal for the development of Central Vista Avenue with an estimated cost of Rs 608 crore on November 10, 2020. Requisite permissions from Delhi Urban Arts Commission, Heritage Conservation Committee, Central Vista Committee, local body have been obtained.
Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has been entrusted to carry out the work. Phase-I work of development has been awarded by CPWD to construction company Shapoorji Pallonji Company (Pvt) Limited at a cost of Rs 477 crore through competitive bidding on January 8, 2021, and work will start on February 4, the ministry said.
In January, Puri had said that the Republic Day parade in 2022 will be held at the new central avenue. “Work on the redevelopment of Rajpath will start soon after this year's Republic Day parade. The work is expected to be completed in the next 10 months and the 2022 Republic Day parade will be held on a redeveloped Rajpath,” Puri had said.
Infrastructure firm Shapoorji Pallonji and Company Ltd has emerged as the lowest bidder for the Rajpath redevelopment project quoting Rs 477.08 crore, which is 4.99 percent less than the estimated cost.
The Rajpath redevelopment project includes large scale stone work, construction of underpasses, underground amenities blocks and horticulture work, the official said.
In September last year, Tata Projects Limited had won the tender for the construction of the new Parliament building.
On January 5, the Supreme Court gave the green signal to the Central Vista revamp project, holding there was “no infirmity” in the grant of environment clearance and permissions for change of land use.
Announced in September 2019, the Central Vista revamp envisages a new triangular Parliament building, with a seating capacity for 900 to 1,200 Members of Parliament (MPs), which is to be constructed by August 2022 when the country will be celebrating its 75th Independence Day.