Architects, intellectuals say Central Vista is a ‘shape-shifting’ project

NEW DELHI : Architects, environmentalists, urban planners and historians on Friday raised several questions related to the new Parliament building and Central Vista project in an open house discussion titled “Central Voices for the Vista”. Key among questions asked if there was a need for such an overhaul, alleged lack of transparency in the exact design and project plan and on what basis land for “public use and recreation” can be “usurped”.

Madhav Raman, architect, said it was “shape-shifting” plan, which is being approved in a piecemeal manner, making it difficult for independent planners to critique or assess it. He said the Central Vista has land earmarked for public use and public access, which is captured in the Master Plan of Delhi 2021. Built and un-built heritage such as groundwater resources and trees, and public money to the tune of several thousand crores are involved, he said.

Raman said there were several laws governing the conservation of the Central Vista. For example, in MDP 2021, chapter 10 calls for a special development zone for the Vista, chapter 8 calls for decentralisation of government infrastructure and buildings, united building bylaws call for heritage status for the Vista and the general finance rules govern tenders. “Large-scale grab of land for government use for land held in trust for public use,” he said, adding opposite master plan priorities are being introduced by centralising government buildings without even basic traffic assessment.

Narayani Gupta, historian, said the “world-class city” reference point for politicians has to do with dramatic civic centres such as Champs-elysees in Paris, which have their own history, own euphoria and tragedy. Delhi has two such ceremonial avenues, Rajpath and Chandni Chowk, she said, adding the project will involve destroying functioning buildings and replacing them with new ones .“Only the bigger buildings will remain, which will be converted into museums. The only reference to the life of the Republic in its diamond jubilee year in 2022 will be the wars it has fought,” she said, adding there could have been a competition and exhibition of project ideas by architects available for public scrutiny.

Amita Baviskar, sociologist, said she happened to study how the Viceroy’s palace came to be built. Three things were considered: ecology, which includes area of superior drainage, land that is cheaper to acquire and finally imperial iconography of British power in all its majesty. “Today we lost sight of ecology, the government doesn’t care about the economy, the plan consists only of imperial iconography. The determination of this government to leave its mark on public places is as resolute as that of the British,” she said.

HT tried contacting urban affairs minister Hardeep Singh Puri for a response but he was not reachable. In a reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on March 4 on whether the government had approved a new Parliament building and Central Vista, reasons for approving the project and if consultations had been carried out with environmentalists and planners, Puri had said consultations with stakeholders is a “continuous process.”

“Consultations with stakeholders including environmentalists, town planners, and architects has been undertaken by the consultant appointed by CPWD. Ministry held several consultations… the detailed design and drawings are under preparation and detailed cost estimates shall be worked out once the drawings are finalised,” he said.

Kanchi Kohli, legal researcher at Centre for Policy Research, asked, “What does continuous consultation mean when the plan is already decided?”