Revamped Central Vista Avenue may open to the public next week

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to inaugurate the revamped Central Vista Avenue stretching from the Vijay Chowk to the India Gate on Thursday, officials said.

Considered to be the most popular public space in the city, the redeveloped stretch has red granite walkways spreading around 1.1 lakh square metre with greenery all around, more than 133 light poles along the Rajpath, 4,087 trees, 114 modern signages and stepped gardens.

This is the first project that has been completed under the Modi government's ambitious Central Vista redevelopment plan.

"The work is over. The prime minister is likely to inaugurate the revamped avenue on September 8," an official said.

According to an official document, there are more than 900 light poles, including those in the gardens and along the Rajpath between the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the India Gate, a move aimed at making the Central Vista more pedestrian-friendly round the clock.

Eight amenity blocks have been built while four pedestrian underpasses have been constructed in the entire stretch that has 422 red granite benches.

Along the Rajpath, new red granite walkways spreading 1,10,457 square metre have been created, replacing bajri sand that lined the ground earlier.

As many as 987 concrete bollards have been installed on the Rajpath. A total of 1,490 modern-look manholes have replaced the earlier ones.

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.