Why the need for Central Vista?

Mr Hardeep Singh Puri

In response to a question in the Lok Sabha on February 11, 2021, Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri highlighted the rationale behind the project. He said that the Parliament House is now over a hundred years old. The number of seats in the Lok Sabha will increase after 2026. Therefore, a new parliament building has become a necessity and a need of the hour. According to the Union Minister, the main avenue of Central Vista in New Delhi extends from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate. However, with the changing times, it has to be world-class. It lacks several amenities and parking facilities, too. Therefore, the Government has decided to construct a new Parliament House, Common Central Secretariat and Central Vista. After the completion of the Central Vista project, the addresses of some of the iconic buildings such as the National Museum and Indira Gandhi Art Centre located in Central Delhi will be changed. The Indira Gandhi Art Centre will be shifted to a new building in Jamnagar House, and the National Museum will move to the North or South Block. The National Museum, which showcases artefacts associated with the history and cultural heritage of the last 5,000 years is currently located at Janpath. There are artefacts from the era of pre-historical period to the modern times. It operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture, which also supervises the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, which has been functioning since 1985. In 1987, it was made an autonomous body. However, the heritage building of the National Archives will not be touched.