Govt releases first look of revamped Central Vista Avenue; to open for public after 20 months

New Delhi: A day before the inauguration by PM Modi, the government released Wednesday the first look of the revamped Central Vista Avenue. 

The government is slated to change the name of Rajpath (stretch from Vijay Chowk to India Gate) to Kartavyapath.

PM Modi will inaugurate the entire stretch from Vijay Chowk to India Gate in the evening on September 8 under his government’s ambitious Central Vista redevelopment project, officials in the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry said.

The stretch will open for public after 20 months. 

On the day of the inauguration, visitors will not be allowed on the stretch from the India Gate to Man Singh Road, but they can use the remaining part. From September 9, the entire stretch will be thrown open to the general public.

The revamped Central Vista Avenue along the Rajpath (to be renamed Kartyapath) will have state-wise food stalls, red granite walkways with greenery all around, vending zones, parking lots and round-the-clock security, but people would miss only one thing -- food will not be allowed in the garden area from the India Gate to Man Singh Road.

The CPWD, an executing agency of the project, has set up five vending zones where 40 vendors each will be allowed and according to the plan, they will not be allowed to sell their items to visitors in the garden area.

A senior official said there would be two blocks near the India Gate and each block has eight shops, adding that some states have shown their interest to set up their food stalls.

"Ice cream carts will only be allowed in the vending zones. Although we have not taken any decision, we will ensure that these ice cream trolleys are not allowed along roads," the official said.

The official said there would be heavy deployment of police personnel and security guards to ensure that there is no theft and damage to newly-installed facilities. Around 80 security guards will keep an eye on the stretch.

He said that 19 acres of total canal area have been revamped. They have been fitted with infrastructure such as aerators. There are 16 bridges on the entire stretch. Boating will be allowed in two canals -- one near Krishi Bhawan and another one around Vanijya Bhawan.

He said maintaining cleanliness will be a challenge as people in a large number will throng the Rajpath, which is considered as the most popular public space in the city.

"We appealed to people to maintain cleanliness. Large teams of sanitation workers will be deployed," the official said.

Along the Rajpath, the area spreading 3.90 lakh square metre has been developed with greenery all around. Also, the new red granite walkways spreading 15.5 km have been created, replacing bajri sand that lined the ground earlier.

Another official said that parking space for 1,125 vehicles have been created in the entire stretch. A parking space for 35 buses have been created near the India Gate.

Seventy-four historic light poles and all chain links have been restored. Over 900 new light poles have been installed. Concrete bollards have been replaced with over 1,000 white sandstone bollards to maintain the precinct's character.

The redevelopment project of the Central Vista -- the nation's power corridor -- envisages a new triangular Parliament building, a common central secretariat, revamping the three-km Rajpath, a new prime minister's residence and office, and a new vice-president's enclave.