Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri performs 'bhoomi pujan' for redevelopment of Central Vista Avenue

New Delhi, Feb 04: Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday performed the "bhoomi pujan" for the redevelopment of Central Vista Avenue between the Rashtrapati Bhavan to the India Gate.

The government plans to hold the 2022 Republic Day parade on the newly-developed Rajpath, a project that is being executed under the government's ambitious Central Vista redevelopment plan.

According to the Central Public Works Department, the ground-breaking ceremony was held at India Gate Lawn where senior officials, including ministry secretary Durga Shanker Mishra, were present. The Rajpath redevelopment project includes large scale stone work, construction of underpasses, underground amenities blocks and horticulture work.

Infrastructure firm Shapoorji Pallonji and Company Limited is executing the project. The company had emerged as the lowest bidder for the Rajpath redevelopment project quoting Rs 477.08 crore, which was 4.99 per cent less than the estimated cost, according to the CPWD's bid documents.

The CPWD, which is executing the government's Rs 13,500-crore Central Vista revamp project, said that the redevelopment work of Central Vista Avenue will be executed in a phased manner so that some parts of Rajpath are available for visitors.

The redevelopment project of the Central Vista -- the nation's power corridor -- envisages a new triangular Parliament building, a common central secretariat, revamping of the three-km-long Rajpath, from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, new prime minister residence and PMO, and new Vice President Enclave.

In September last year, Tata Projects Limited had won the tender for the construction of the new Parliament building.