The controversial Central Vista project - Heartless

Central Vista Project  reminds me of  Drishyam. Built on the dead bodies, hiding the truth. People were dying for want of oxygen, medicines are hoarded and sold in black market, there is no proper management of supply chain, hospital allocations which are the need of the hour, there seems no vaccinations for all in the horizon. Keeping all these aside the Central Vista project, is designated an "essential service" so that construction work in the heart of Covid-hit Delhi is uninterrupted by the virus lockdown. This has taken a big step forward after the government's green clearance. Why? If the first phase had migrant or guest workers who had to suffer, this time around it is the laborer's. 

Despite strong objections by opposition parties and activists, the government has worked out a strict time line for the ₹ 20,000 crore makeover plan. Among the first buildings to be constructed by December next year is the Prime Minister's new official home, according to details that emerged today. The same deadline has been set for the headquarters of the Special Protection Group (SPG) exclusively dedicated to the PM's security and an executive enclave for bureaucrats. The Vice President's house is expected to be completed by May next year. The projected cost for the new buildings is ₹ 13,450 crores and the plan is expected to employ nearly 46,000 people, according to officials. The plan to build and refurbish the government buildings on a part of the four-km stretch from Rashtrapati Bhavan to the India Gate is to be completed before the 2024 general elections.

The government has defended the project citing the age and state of the current buildings. The Supreme Court refused to stop the project saying it didn't violate environmental or land-use norms. But one of the three judges on the bench expressed concern over the lack of public consultation. The controversial Central Vista project would see the demolition of several historical buildings in the area  . A total estimated area of 4,58,820 square metres will be demolished for the project. Has this time period been chosen so there would be least protest?  Where will the temporary archive be housed? Will public be able to access these records during transit? Which experts are overseeing shifting of archives? There are many more questions but no answers. Relocation of the treasures at the National Museum, archival records at the National Archives and manuscript holdings at the IGNCA can be an extremely challenging task even during ordinary times. It is a complex operation that requires detailed planning and expertise. Such changes around premier institutions take place only after wide consultations in any part of the world; and certainly not in the opaque and cavalier manner as is being planned here. Artefacts at the National Museum still lack a complete inventory, the experts have pointed out, flagging the risk of loss or mishandling. The Central Vista redevelopment project is clearly being implemented in a hurry. The government’s intolerance towards any public scrutiny of the project is such that even photography of the construction is now banned. Is the main motive  to destroy these landmarks? I wonder.

As  C Babu Rajeev - Retired from the Indian Administrative Service  and who was CEO of a Corporate in Mumbai thereafter, writes in his FB post, the following are the buildings that will be demolished. 

Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts: The IGNCA was launched on 19 November 1985 by Rajiv Gandhi in memory of the late prime minister, and his mother, Indira Gandhi as a resource centre to study the arts. This included literature, visual arts, architecture, photography, music, dance and much more. The IGNCA is situated on Janpath, opposite the National Archives building. It comes under the Ministry of Culture.

Shastri Bhawan: Named after former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, Shastri Bhawan houses several government ministries such as human resource development, chemicals and petrochemicals, law and justice, information and broadcasting, corporate affairs, women and child development and many others.

Krishi Bhawan: Situated on Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Marg in Rajpath, several government ministries operate out of the Krishi Bhawan. This includes the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Animal Husbandry and Ministry of Fisheries.

Vigyan Bhawan: The government’s primary convention centre, Vigyan Bhawan was built in 1956. It has hosted multiple national and international conferences, such as Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 1983, the seventh Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in 1983 and the SAARC Summit. The annual National Film Awards also take place in the Vigyan Bhawan, which is maintained by the Central Public Works Department.

Vice President’s Residence: The Vice President’s Residence, home to current VP M. Venkaiah Naidu, is situated on 6, Maulana Azad Road. With a sprawling lawn in the front, the residence covers 6.48 acres and shares a boundary wall with Vigyan Bhawan.

National Museum: On 15 August 1949, the National Museum was inaugurated in Rashtrapati Bhawan by R. Rajagopalachari, the first Governor-General of India. It was later moved and the foundation stone of the present building on Janpath Road was laid by then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru in May 1955. At present, the museum holds almost 2,00,000 objects that are diverse in nature — both Indian as well as foreign — including the famous dancing girl of Harappa, relics of Buddha, Tanjore paintings and many more.The museum is home to historical artefacts dating back 5,000 years. It is currently under the administrative control of the culture ministry.

Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan: The newest building among the lot, barely a decade old, the Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan is where the Ministry of External Affairs is based out of. Built over 60,000 square meters and at a cost of Rs 220 crore, it was the first government building to get a ‘green building certification’.

Nirman Bhawan: Situated on the Rajpath Area of the Central Secretariat, Nirman Bhawan also houses government ministries such as housing and urban affairs, health and family welfare, and Department of Science and Technology.

Udyog Bhawan:  Udyog Bhawan falls on the Yellow Line of the Delhi Metro and is adjacent to Janpath. It is where government ministries such as the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the MSME (Micro Small and Medium Enterprises) Ministry, operate out of.

Raksha Bhawan: Situated on Man Singh Marg, Raksha Bhawan is the official residential complex of the National Defence College.

Annexe building of National Archives: Although the main building of the National Archives will be intact, the annexe building will be demolished and a new building will be constructed. The archival records are kept in both the main building and the annexe. The nature of records are categorised as public records, private papers, departmental records, cartographic records etc. The archival records kept in the annexe include 45 lakh files, 25,000 rare manuscripts, more than 1 lakh maps and 1.3 lakh Mughal documents. The National Archives building is one among those targeted for destruction. I am sure that the letters from Savarkar to the British, groveling at their feet begging to be released from incarceration and promising to collaborate and be a loyal servant , now preserved in the Archives, will also disappear. The records are kept in an ideal storage environment and round the clock operation of air-conditioning is provided to maintain the relative humidity and temperature that is suitable for the records.

Lok Kalyan Marg (7 Race Course Road): Lok Kalyan Marg or ‘7 RCR’, as it is commonly called, is the Prime Minister’s residence currently. Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi made it his home in 1984 but it was only, 16 years later, in 1990 that the urban development ministry declared it as the permanent residence-cum-office of the Prime Minister of India.

Heritage is what is gifted to us and we are bound to protect it. World over there are standard guidelines to protect and conserve heritage. You can demolish the Red Fort (or any old heritage structure) and build a much stronger and attractive fortification. In general Indians are least bothered about heritage. You will come across several instances of age old , beautiful structures wantonly demolished to raise glitzy steel , concrete and glass structures.  The destruction,  the cost of dislocation and potential loss of history itself, to pamper the ego of one man bungling big time, a shameful attempt to obliterate the years before him. The government will have definitely gained if it were to suspend the project, and take the Opposition and the public into confidence on the future.

Heartless indeed, will it be artless too, time will tell.