Govt To Set Up ‘Defence Enclave’ Under Central Vista Project

Currently, the offices of the Navy, Army and Air Force are spread across several parts of central Delhi.

Construction work underway as part of the Central Vista Redevelopment Project at Rajpath in New Delhi on Thursday.

(Photo: PTI/Kamal Kishore) 

The Central Vista redevelopment project will house a large 'Defence Enclave' for top defence brass and personnel, official sources in the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry said on Thursday, 20 May.

This will also include a new parliament building, a common central secretariat, revamping of the 3-km Rajpath from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, new prime minister's residence, prime minister's office and a new vice president enclave.

The pet project of the Narendra Modi government, estimated to cost around 20,000 crore, aims to redevelop 3.2 km of land around the heart of Central Vista in Lutyens' Delhi which is the administrative centre of the central government.

The new enclave will be constructed by 2026.

Currently, the defence minister, his deputy, defence secretary, the offices of the Navy, Army and Air Force are spread across several parts of central Delhi, North and South Blocks.

The new parliament building will be completed by November 2022, the prime minister's residence by December 2022, vice president's enclave by September 2022, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) by April 2023, MP chambers by March 2024, National Archives of India by June 2024 and Central Conference Centre by December 2026 among others, reported PTI.

The heritage buildings at North and South Blocks will be converted into museums.

Eminent historical buildings, including The National Museum, the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), as well as the National Archives Annexe situated in New Delhi, are going to be demolished as part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government’s multi-crore project. Other buildings designated to be demolished include the Shastri Bhavan, Krishi Bhavan, Vigyan Bhavan, Vice President's Residence, Jawahar Bhawan, Nirman Bhavan, Udyog Bhavan, Raksha Bhavan, making the total area to be demolished 4,58,820 square metres.

Activists have petitioned to the courts that the construction of the project should be halted in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Supreme Court of India, on 7 May, said that it will not interfere in the plea to halt the construction at the Central Vista Redevelopment Project that is pending before the Delhi High Court.