Centre to expedite Central Vista redevelopment project

The Centre is expediting the Central Vista project as the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs aims to spend Rs 2,285 crore in the next financial year.

The government is likely to spend Rs 1,423 crore in the current financial year, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishore informed Rajya Sabha.

Earlier Opposition parties have criticised the spending of huge money for the project saying that it is a wasteful expenditure and money should be used for the welfare of people.

The Minister also said that the new Parliament building project, which has its deadline in October, has achieved 44 per cent physical progress, and the government has so far spent Rs 480 crore on it.

The Minister also said that the redevelopment project of the Central Vista Avenue, from Vijay Chowk to India Gate, has met the target of 80 per cent physical progress, and the government spent Rs 441 crore so far.

The construction of three new buildings as part of a new common central secretariat has achieved three per cent physical progress, and Rs 243 crore has so far been spent on the project, the Minister said in his written reply.

The construction of the new vice president's enclave, which includes a residence for the vice president and a secretariat, has achieved three per cent physical progress. The project was expected to be over in 10 months from the start of the work, the Minister said.

The redevelopment project of the Central Vista involved building of a new triangular Parliament building,a new prime minister's residence and prime minister's office, and a new vice president's enclave, a common central secretariat, revamping of the three-kilometre-long Rajpath from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to the India Gate.

In November, a Jharkhand-based firm, Kamladityya Construction Pvt Ltd, had been awarded the contract for constructing the vice president's enclave.

Larsen & Toubro Limited had been awarded the contract for the construction and maintenance of the first three buildings of the common central secretariat.

Tata Projects Limited is constructing the new Parliament building, while Shapoorji Pallonji and Company Limited is executing the redevelopment work of Central Vista Avenue.

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