High-level panel to decide on rebuilding Central Vista

A high-level panel comprising the prime minister, Union minister for housing and urban development, Lok Sabha Speaker and others will take a final call on the remodelling of the Central Vista and constructing new Parliament House.

Though the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development had selected Ahmedabad-based HCP Design, Planning and Management Private Limited, for designing the project, the panel will take a call on how it should be implemented. The panel will also decide whether to build new Parliament building or retrofit the existing one by making it earthquake-proof, sources in the Ministry told DH.

READ: Move PM house near South Block: Central Vista architect

The remodelling of Central Vista, which involved building common secretariat by demolishing dozens of government buildings including Shastri Bhavan, Udyog Bhavan and Krishi Bhavan.

HCP Design made the number of suggestions including shifting of the prime minister's office (PMO) from existing South Block to new building closer to Rashtrapati Bhavan. It also suggested that the prime minister's residence should also be shifted to a new house which could come up on the Dalhousie Road.

The design also suggested constructing a new Parliament House at parking area behind Mahatma Gandhi statue and a new building to provide offices to all MPs.

Since the government maintained that all heritage buildings including Parliament House will be retained, the company suggested that existing Parliament building could be converted as 'Museum of Indian Democracy', South Block could be used to showcase 'India at 75' and North Block could be kept as 'Making of India'.

There is also a proposal to build a low-speed circular rail facility to connect all buildings of Central Secretariat for easy movement of people working in these buildings. The government fixed the target of 2024 for completing all projects which would cost around Rs 11,000 crore.

The Central Vista, also known as the Rajpath, is spread in around 4 km from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate and its iconic buildings were constructed between 2911-1931.