In a landmark move, the Indian government has decided to rename Rajpath & Central Vista lawns as Kartavya Path. The decision is in line with the government's vision to shed the colonial image. A special meeting has been convened by New Delhi Municipal Council (NMDC) on Wednesday to rename the lawns.
The entire road and area from the Netaji statue to the Rashtrapati Bhavan will be known as Kartavya Path.
PM Modi, in his Independence Day address, stressed on shedding the remnants of British-era colonial image. Earlier, in effort to make nomenclature more people centric, the name of the road on which PM's residence is located was also changed from Race Course Road to Lok Kalyan Marg.
Inauguration of Central Vista Avenue
Sources have revealed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the revamped Central Vista Avenue on September 8. PM Modi is also likely to unveil the statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on the same day, which would be installed in the canopy behind India Gate, the sources said.
The revamped Central Vista Avenue, which is part of the government's ambitious Central Vista redevelopment project, is now complete as the landscaping work on both sides of Rajpath has been done.
Central Vista Avenue stretches from Vijay Chowk to India Gate. Work on its redevelopment had begun in February 2021 and was supposed to be completed by December 2021. However, after some delays, it is all set to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister on September 8.
Central Vista Avenue amenities
The Central Vista Avenue Refurbishment Project modernised the avenue while restoring elements with heritage value. A senior official of the Ministry of Urban Affairs said that 74 historic light poles and all chain links have been restored, upgraded, and reinstalled on site. More than 900 new light poles have been added wherever necessary to ensure that the space is always safe for visitors. These are located along the Rajpath, canals, rows of trees, newly created parking bays, and the India Gate Precinct.
Similarly, concrete bollards have been replaced with 1000+ white sandstone bollards to maintain the precinct's historical character, and the pedestrian sidewalks along the Rajpath have been paved with robust and durable materials. Besides, 16.5 km of pedestrian walkways have been added along the Rajpath, across the lawns, along and across the canals, and at the India Gate Precinct.
Apart from this, 16 permanent bridges have been built over the canals, making the space beyond the canals accessible for public use. A part of this space has been designed as parking for buses, two-wheelers, cars, app-based taxis, and auto rickshaws.
The official said that eight amenity blocks with toilets, vending kiosks, and drinking water fountains have been added at eight distinct locations along the Avenue. A total of 64 female toilets, 32 male toilets, and 10 accessible toilets have been added. Besides, seven organised vending plazas have also been added at various locations.
Officials said that four new pedestrian underpasses have been built at busy junctions to segregate vehicular traffic from pedestrian movement, making the street safe to cross. All amenity blocks and underpasses have ramps with railings at suitable heights for safe use by children and specially-abled people.
Apart from this, arrangements for Republic Day Parade have been standardised and integrated. Modular bleachers have been proposed for the Republic Day seating arrangements, saving time and effort in setting up and dismantling, and reducing damage to the lawns. The light poles are fitted with necessary technology and services for the annual Republic Day Parade, connected to the newly laid underground service lines.
(Agency inputs included)
