Policy Update
Shivchaitanya Mahajan
Executive Summary
The Central Vista Redevelopment Project is a landmark program that brought modernization to India’s 86-year-old administrative complex. Spanning ₹20,000 crores in expenditure and a duration of seven years (2019-2026), the project seeks to rehouse government offices, upgrade structural weaknesses in historic buildings, and design effective, eco-friendly administrative spaces with all heritage concerns kept intact. This large-scale redevelopment aimed to balance colonial architectural heritage with modern-day governance requirements, establishing a power corridor worthy of the world’s largest democracy in the 21st century. The project is not just a physical infrastructure, but also redefines the relationship between citizens and the state through more accessible public spaces and open institutional design.
Background
The Central Vista, stretching 3.2 kilometers from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, has been India’s power corridor since colonial days when Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker planned it between 1911 and 1931 as the British India’s administrative hub. The district, with its iconic buildings, symmetrical planning, and vast lawns, represents the shift from imperial power to democratic rule after independence. However, with decades of heavy utilization, most buildings have suffered structurally and cannot meet today’s administrative needs. Sanctioned by the Union Cabinet in December 2019, this redevelopment project catered to a number of immediate needs that have developed over time.
The initiative aims to develop a Common Central Secretariat in order to consolidate currently dispersed government departments of Delhi, spread out over 47 various buildings, so that officials would need to travel to places and establish inefficiencies of inter-ministerial coordination. It addresses major structural weaknesses in aged buildings such as the Parliament House, built in 1927, that have been confronted by mounting maintenance problems over decades involving electrical wiring issues, water ingress, and inefficient disaster management facilities. The present Parliament building was initially intended for a bicameral legislature of 296 members but now struggles to fit 790 representatives, with estimates suggesting that this figure is likely to grow to more than 1,000 following the next delimitation exercise set for 2026.
This redevelopment aims to maximize workspace allocation for enhancing governance and administrative operations for thousands of civil servants through the introduction of advanced office designs, digital infrastructure, and collaborative environments that meet modern workplace standards. During implementation, there is a continued focus on preserving historical landmarks while upgrading facilities to accommodate contemporary requirements, accessibility features of differently abled citizens, increased security measures, and green energy systems. The major beneficiaries are government workers who will work in better conditions, policymakers who will enjoy consolidated offices, and citizens who will benefit from enhanced public spaces and simplified governance infrastructure that eliminates bureaucratic holdups in the delivery of public services.
Project Structure & Implementation
The Central Vista Redevelopment operates on a highly organized multi-phased plan designed to result in zero disruption to business as usual for ongoing governance activity. Phase I, scheduled for completion by 2026, looks towards the revamp of New Parliament Building and Central Vista Avenue initially. The new triangular Parliament complex constructed alongside the existing circular one is equipped with all contemporary facilities including computerized proceedings, acoustically designed rooms, and accommodation for 1,272 members to accommodate the future expansion of both houses. The project to refurbish the Central Vista Avenue was undertaken in September 2022, featuring redevelopment of the 3-kilometer-long Rajpath (redeveloped as Kartavya Path) and surrounding areas with pedestrian pathways, energy-efficient illumination systems that consume 80% less energy than previous installations, and enhanced water features for an improved public experience. The refurbishment further entailed the development of rainwater harvesting systems comprising 16.4 kilometers of drainage pipes, specialized vending space for 120 vendors previously selling illegally, and specialized areas for cultural performances and national festivities.
Phase II comprises the construction of the Executive Enclave, which houses the Prime Minister’s Office, Cabinet Secretariat, and Vice President’s residence in a secure, integrated complex with a view to enhancing coordination among the highest executive functions of the government. Phase II also comprises the Vice-President’s Enclave on a plot of 15 acres near the North Block with a residence, secretariat, guest house and enhanced security infrastructure. Phase III involves the biggest construction component: ten identical buildings forming the Common Central Secretariat on both sides of Rajpath, connected by an underground transit system to enable ease of travel from the ministry to the ministry without disrupting surface traffic.
The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) handles the implementation of all construction activities through a specific project management cell, whereas Ahmedabad-based firm HCP Design Planning and Management handles architectural planning and design coordination under architect Bimal Patel’s oversight. Tata Projects Limited and Shapoorji Pallonji & Company Limited secured major construction contracts in competitive bids managed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
One feature of the implementation plan is the “retrofitting-first” principle, which emphasises the evaluation and upgradation of existing buildings like North and South Blocks for seismic performance and energy efficiency before constructing new complexes. The procedure involves wide-ranging structural testing with ground-penetrating radar and other nondestructive test methods for evaluating building strength without sacrificing historic content. The heritage buildings should be retrofitted in a sensitive manner, preserving facade details but upgrading internal systems, applying traditional craftsmanship coupled with modern engineering solutions to convert these iconic structures into functional edifices for another century.
Performance Analysis
Financial monitoring of the Central Vista project indicates ₹1,289 crores having been expended up to 2023, with the New Parliament Building contributing ₹971 crores towards this expenditure. This amounts to around 6.4% of the overall allocated budget, with some major financial milestones still ahead as construction gathers pace. The pattern of expenditure indicates quarterly disbursements in excess of ₹161 crores since 2020, with steep increases in expenditure in 2022-23 accompanying completion of high-priority items. By the end of 2024, about 35% of the project has been completed, which includes the success of the 2022 transformation of Central Vista Avenue and May 2023 inauguration of the New Parliament Building, which took 28 months to complete under pandemic-related building setbacks and interruptions in material supply.
The Common Central Secretariat, to be built to house 30–35 ministries in a single administrative complex, is still under construction and aims to be completed by 2026. Every building of the secretariat features similar structural configurations with personalized interior layouts in accordance with ministerial needs and uniform maintenance procedures with the flexibility of functions. The present work on these buildings is 22-38% in terms of completion as per the building numbers, with ground work completed at the majority of sites and superstructures along the Rajpath eastern flank.
Some challenges arose in 2020–2021 when the Supreme Court temporarily suspended construction on environmental clearances and procedural issues, pushing back project timelines by around eight months. The court later allowed the continuation of construction after further environmental impact studies and public hearings, but required increased monitoring measures such as quarterly environmental compliance reports and an independent watchdog committee. Labor shortages during the Covid-19 pandemic further complicated timelines, requiring contractors to establish on-site accommodations for 3,000 workers to maintain progress while adhering to health protocols.
A 2023 Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report identified issues in cost-benefit analysis, pointing out that the cost per square foot of construction (₹116,641) was higher by 64% compared to the average commercial rates in Delhi. The report raised doubts over whether value engineering principles were applied suitably and pointed out possible inconsistencies in the procurement processes for specialized materials. Project administrators countered that special government buildings need greater security and infrastructure levels than commercial buildings and this premium is justified. They attribute increased structural specifications aimed at providing 150-year building lives, advanced security systems such as biometric access controls and CBRN defense features, and dedicated conference spaces with advanced communication infrastructure as the reasons for increased costs.
Impact Assessment
The project has already created localized economic activity, creating 16,000 direct construction and related sector jobs and contractor payments of ₹420 crores to various vendors as of 2023. Supply chain analysis shows that around 85% of the construction materials are being sourced locally, supporting industries in 18 states, with particularly large orders for stone from Rajasthan, steel from Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, and specialized fixtures from Gujarat and Maharashtra. Outside of construction jobs, the project has generated work in architectural services, environmental monitoring, conservation of heritage structures, and specialized fields of engineering, with consulting orders involving more than 40 Indian companies. Operating at full capacity, the redeveloped Central Vista is expected to decrease administrative operating expenses by 24% via energy conservation methods and amalgamated maintenance, with the potential to save ₹1,000 crores per annum in government spending once all the ministries have moved to the new premises.
From an environmental viewpoint, the project includes substantial rainwater harvesting systems of 12 million liters per annum capacity that collect monsoon precipitation and minimize reliance on municipal water supplies. The integration of 9 MW solar power systems on different building rooftops is for generation of about 35% of the electricity needs of the complex during peak daytime hours. All new buildings are aimed at achieving GRIHA-V certification on environmental performance and include passive design elements for cooling inspired by historic Indian architecture in order to decrease air conditioning loads. However, urban ecologists have expressed concerns at the transplantation of 445 trees from the area of development because only 22% survived after relocation, according to a CPWD report done in 2023, which is short of the 80% survival rate benchmark set initially. Independent reviews have shown that poor root ball preparation and lack of post-transplantation care are responsible for this result, emphasizing the difficulties in reconciling development with the preservation of urban forests.
The project has also been criticized for decreasing total green areas from 23% to 18% , which could lead to urban heat island effects in a city that is already experiencing severe summer temperatures. Microclimate modeling undertaken on behalf of environmental organizations predicts 2.3°C rises in central plaza temperatures from pre-development levels, although project supporters respond that greater water features and carefully planned tree planting will reduce these impacts once trees mature. Groundwater recharge potential has also been compromised, permeable surfaces decrease by around 40,000 square meters even though mitigation measures involve permeable paving and infiltration structures incorporated into the design.
From the social and cultural perspective, the renovated Central Vista Avenue has raised pedestrian traffic by 40% after the renovation, with enhanced public areas featuring better amenities such as 1,100 more seating options, 64 enhanced toilet facilities, and 16 food and beverage kiosks run by self-help groups. Six months following reopening, tourist surveys revealed a satisfaction level with the renovation in Delhi residents as 72% but had criticisms about decreased shades in summer time. Heritage protectors mostly view the adaptive reuse method of treating colonial-era complexes favorably but have apprehension over whether a modernist stylistic vocabulary employed by new builds integrates well within Lutyens’ architectural record that characterizes Delhi’s urban core. Cultural commentators have debated with great passion whether the new additions’ architectural language sufficiently expresses India’s democratic ethos and multicultural heritage, or whether it prioritizes monumentality over human-scale interaction with public spaces.
Emerging Issues & Recommendations
Ecological sustainability is still a controversial topic, with poor rates of tree survival highlighting loopholes in transplantation processes and challenging environmental commitments. Future stages would be enhanced by utilizing Miyawaki afforestation methods that form thicker, stronger mini-forests in compact areas, potentially having 3-4 such forests of 1,000 square meters each at the outskirts of Central Vista. These dense plantation forests speed up ecological succession and form mature forest ecosystems in 20-30 years instead of the usual 200-300 years, delivering greater biodiversity and carbon sequestration values. Regular independent survival audits must be carried out by reputable environmental institutions instead of project contractors, promoting accountability for vegetation management. Green cover targets should be raised to 30% of the project area to counterbalance construction effects, possibly including vertical gardens on appropriate building facades and incorporating rooftop botanical gardens that could serve as educational tools for visiting school groups and environmental scientists.
Financial management is facing challenges of cost overruns and transparency of budget, being caused by inflation and design changes that have raised estimated expenditures by as much as 18% above original estimates. These could be resolved through implementation of real-time public budget dashboards available on the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs portal, with quarterly financial updates classified by project component and expenditure category. Best practice international financial terms would recommend regular quarterly audits for financials to be made publicly available to the people, carried out by a free panel having representatives from the Comptroller and Auditor General, civil society, and parliament’s standing committees. Cost benchmarking with similar international projects like the restoration of London’s Palace of Westminster and the expansion of the Australian Parliament House can provide reasonable benchmarks for specialized government construction costs, and in turn justify expenses while seeking out areas for potential efficiency gains.
Public access to the site during construction has sparked community issues, with numerous areas off-limits for security and safety purposes, disrupting pre-existing circulation routes for citizens of Delhi and tourists alike. This might be alleviated by the production of staggered weekend access schemes to areas of the development not currently under construction, enabling citizens to observe the process of transformation themselves through managed viewing corridors with informative displays. Virtual reality tours depicting construction progress and final designs would be available at visitor centers and websites, allowing individuals to visualize the finished project while work is ongoing. Public information centers at strategic locations such as India Gate and Connaught Place where citizens can get to know the transformation through interactive displays would foster awareness of project goals and technical issues. Such initiatives would transform public perception from exclusion to participation in this national endeavor.
Conservation of heritage involves a balance between modernization and preservation of history, especially for Grade-I heritage structures such as Parliament House, to be converted into a museum of Indian democracy once legislative activities move to the new building. Tighter observance of UNESCO guidelines on heritage conservation for adaptive reuse would offer globally accepted models of this delicate work. Comprehensive recording of architectural details prior to alteration, such as high-resolution 3D scanning of structural and ornamental details, would allow for documentation of original conditions for future use and possible restoration. The production of digital archives retaining historical elements through virtual reality experience could bring architectural heritage to citizens across the country who are unable to physically visit Delhi, making this cultural patrimony accessible to everyone through technology.
Public misconceptions regarding project scope and impact have arisen due to stakeholder communication gaps, as evidenced by surveys showing 62% of Delhi residents are unclear about which buildings are being preserved versus demolished and how public access will change after completion. Regular quarterly citizen town halls with project architects and administrators would provide forums for direct dialogue with concerned communities. Multilingual progress reports via different channels of media such as local newspapers, radio shows, and social media websites would be accessible to different demographic sections beyond English-speaking urban elites. Educational initiatives regarding the architectural and historical importance of Central Vista incorporated into school curricula and through weekend workshops would create stronger public appreciation of this historic neighborhood’s transformation from imperial icon to democratic hub, placing present-day changes within larger historical narratives of independent India’s institutional evolution.
Way Forward
The Central Vista Redevelopment is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reinvent India’s governance hub for generations to come. By 2030, its green buildings might cut the carbon footprint of the government by 35% supporting India’s goal of achieving Net Zero by 2070 with outstanding public buildings that express ideals of sustainable development at the country level. The integrated energy management systems being installed throughout the complex could serve as a model for other government facilities nationwide, potentially influencing building codes and institutional practices across India’s public sector. Strategic reuse of heritage buildings could make Delhi a benchmark for adaptive urban renewal that honors the past while embracing the future, setting precedents for heritage preservation that balance conservation with modern functionality in ways that could guide similar initiatives in other historic administrative areas globally.
Success depends on striking a balance between various priorities during implementation. The project needs to balance the tension between heritage and innovative design so that buildings convey both India’s architectural heritage and its ambitions. This necessitates constant conversation among heritage conservators, modern architects, and public stakeholders to evolve design languages that respect tradition and convey contemporary democratic values. Transparency and accountability measures, perhaps through an official “Central Vista Oversight Committee” with civil society members, would allay fears regarding governance and ensure public interests continue to be at the heart of decision-making even as technical implementation continues under expert management. Such a committee could deliver quarterly reports on progress against articulated goals, guaranteeing the project lives up to its promise of both administrative effectiveness and public access.
Most critically, the redevelopment has to reconcile functional needs of a contemporary administration with the symbolic significance of these spaces to national identity. Since Central Vista is the physical manifestation of democratic government, its redevelopment inevitably conveys values about state-citizen relations, institutional accessibility, and India’s self-perception as a democracy. The extent to which finished spaces open up to common citizens, allow for public interaction with governance processes, and demystify governmental activities will ascertain whether the redevelopment reinforces democratic culture or perpetuates institutional distance between citizens and their representatives. If done with regard to these factors, the Central Vista Redevelopment might be more than infrastructure development; it might be a considered transformation of India’s administrative culture, blending historical significance with 21st-century governance requirements while developing public spaces that are befitting the world’s largest democracy.
References
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. (2023). Central Vista Redevelopment: Strategic Plan 2023–26.
Retrieved from mohua.gov.in/cv-report
Comptroller and Auditor General of India. (2023). Performance Audit of Central Vista Project.
Retrieved from cag.gov.in/cv-audit
Central Public Works Department. (2024). Environmental Impact Assessment Report.
Retrieved from cpwd.gov.in/eia-2024
Delhi Urban Art Commission. (2022). Architectural Review of Central Vista Proposals.
Retrieved from duac.org/reviews/central-vista
Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage. (2023). Heritage Impact Assessment of Central Vista Redevelopment.
Retrieved from intach.org/reports/central-vista-hia
Centre for Science and Environment. (2023). Environmental Implications of Urban Redevelopment: Central Vista Case Study.
Retrieved from cseindia.org/research/central-vista
About the Contributor
Shivchaitanya Mahajan, affiliated with Symbiosis School of Economics, is a researcher at IMPRI specializing in social policy analysis.
Acknowledgment
The contributor gratefully acknowledges the guidance and support provided by Team IMPRI throughout the course of this work.
Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.
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