Government of India
Restoring the Original Symmetry and Layout of the Central Vista
The Central Vista was originally designed with a strong underpinning geometry, splendid symmetry and a carefully choreographed processional route (axis, focal, point, nodes and termination). The Master Plan aims to restore the original symmetry and order, while respecting the Heritage of the building and spaces.
Strengthening the Functioning of Legislature
The Master Plan proposes the first purpose-designed Parliament for independent India, equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure to meet all needs of an expanded Parliament. After the present building is retrofitted and refurbished, the two will be used in conjunction. In addition, a separate building to house the offices for Members of Parliament is also planned. The present Parliament building, Library and Annexe, along with the new Parliament Building and Chambers for Members of Parliament, will form an integrated Legislative Enclave.
Improving Productivity and Efficiency of Administration
The planned Common Central Secretariat (CCS) will include 10 office buildings and a Central Conference Centre. At present 39 Ministries are housed in the Central Vista, whereas 12 Ministries have offices outside the Central Vista. All the 51 Ministries are envisioned to be located in 10 CCS buildings to improve coordination, collaboration and administrative synergies. The office spaces are being planned with modern technological features and adequate space with amenities. The present buildings of the Central Vista shall be replaced with modern office buildings with capacity to hold about 54,000 personnel, which will meet the present and future needs of the Ministries/ Departments. All these offices are planned to be connected through a loop of automated underground people-mover, over-ground shuttles and walkways. These buildings will come up through redevelopment of existing Central Secretariat Offices like Udyog Bhawan, Nirman Bhawan, Krishi Bhawan, Shastri Bhawan, etc. located on either side of Rajpath. Further, the Defence Enclave has been planned in order to consolidate the multiple Departments and attached offices of Ministry of Defence, including Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Department of Defence Production and Offices of the Indian Armed Forces i.e. Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force. Overall, the Secretariat will house modern offices, and conferencing facilities for all Ministries of the Government of India.
Conservation and Rejuvenation of Cultural and Heritage Facilities
The Central Vista Avenue will be refurbished, its infrastructure upgraded, and new social amenities will be provided, while retaining its essential character, to make it more comfortable to use and of a befitting quality, with adequate infrastructure for national events. The magnificent North and South Blocks will be refurbished to house the National Museum. They will house exhibits of ‘India up to 1857’ and ‘India since 1857’ respectively. The IGNCA will continue its important cultural agenda, at a new location opposite Hyderabad House on the Hexagon, in expanded, purpose-designed, world-class facilities. Further, a purpose-designed facility is also envisioned beside the historic building of the National Archives of India (NAI) for creating state-of-the-art facilities.
Providing Adequate and Secure Infrastructure for Executive Offices
A modern, secure and appropriately-equipped Executive Enclave is planned to house executive offices and facilities for the Prime Minister’s Office, the Cabinet Secretariat and the National Security Council Secretariat. Secure residential facilities for the Vice President and the Prime Minister are planned behind the North and South Blocks, with all necessary amenities for their day-to-day functioning.
Ensuring Environmental Sustainability, Expanding Public Space and Extending the Central Vista Axis
The overall objective of works planned on the Central Vista is to ensure environmental sustainability, expand and improve public space, and to extend its axis. The New India Garden is being planned near the River Yamuna. thereby extending the present Central Vista axis by 2.24 km to realise the vision of ‘Ridge to River’. Further, a publicly-accessible National Biodiversity Arboretum is planned to the west of the President’s estate, to showcase endangered plants of India in high-tech greenhouses set amidst indigenous forestation.
Providing Adequate and Secure Facilities for the Vice President and the Prime Minister
Modern, adequate and secure residential facilities for the Vice President and the Prime Minister are planned to the north of North Block and south of South Block respectively. These new residential facilities will be highly functional and equipped with all necessary amenities. Locating offices and residences of all dignitaries in a single location will reduce redundancies of infrastructure and improve city traffic management.
Promoting Transit Oriented Development
The Central Vista Development/Redevelopment project has been envisaged by integrating the principles of transit-oriented development. An Automated People Mover of approximately 3.1 km length will be constructed underground to connect and integrate all the buildings of Common Central Secretariat. It will run in a close loop to satisfy the transportation requirement of Government employees working in these buildings. It will provide connectivity to the existing Metro Network at Udyog Bhawan and Central Secretariat Stations at Yellow and Purple lines of Delhi metro which has onward connectivity to National Capital Region (NCR) and that will reduce the need to commute to office using private vehicles. All the buildings of the Central Secretariat will be connected to each other and to Delhi’s metro network via a secure underground people mover and with the city’s bus network via at grade shuttle. As a result of uptake of shared transit facilities, overall emission and air pollution level from personal vehicles is expected to reduce, resulting in the improvement in overall air quality of the capital city.