The revamped Central Vista is grand; hopefully, it will bring the aspirations of people closer to policy makers
The revamped Central Vista Avenue, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, is emblematic of an India, which is aspirational as well as vivacious. Modi also unveiled a jet black granite 28-feet statue of Subhas Chandra Bose, which is placed under the canopy near India Gate. Netaji’s statue is said to be one of the tallest, most realistic, monolithic, handmade sculptures in India. Arun Yogiraj led the team of sculptors who made it using traditional techniques and modern tools. It has been carved from a monolithic 280-tonne block. For the PM, the Netaji statue was kind of undoing a wrong — of ignoring the great freedom fighter after Independence. “If, after Independence, India followed the path of Subhas Babu, what heights would the country be at today! But unfortunately, this great hero of ours was forgotten after Independence. His views, even the symbols associated with him, were ignored,” Modi said. He pointed out that Netaji was the first Prime Minister of Akhand Bharat who had liberated Andaman even before 1947 and unfurled the Tricolour. Netaji’s statue at such a prominent place will surely remind people visiting it of the sacrifices made by the innumerable freedom fighters. It will also inspire them to take the challenges the nation is facing today head on, so that the tryst with destiny is redeemed.
Being the most popular public space in the Capital, the Central Vista will indeed become the vista where people and the Indian State would commingle. Stretching from Vijay Chowk to the iconic India Gate, the Vista has red granite walkways covering about 1.1 lakh square metres, surrounded by greenery. Over 133 light poles, 4,087 trees, 114 signage posts and stepped gardens adorn the Kartavya Path, earlier known as Rajpath. In his speech, Modi justified the renaming, saying that the term ‘Rajpath’ smacked of a colonial mindset, not in tune with the duties of those who serve the nation. Before the inauguration of the Vista, the PM interacted with the workers who built it. He not only lauded them in his speech but also announced that he would them for the next Republic Day parade. Modi rightly said that the Kartavya Path is not just a road made of bricks and stones; “it is the vibrant path of India’s democratic past and eternal values.” He underlined how the ugly vestiges of our colonial past have been discarded; hundreds of British-era laws have been done away with. Further, the National Education Policy is also trying to shake off the yoke of the foreign language, just as the Central Vista has given up several colonial signs. The very design of the Central Vista brings people and Government functionaries closer. One hopes that this proximity will reflect in the Government’s functioning, that the aspirations of people will resonate in Parliament and reflect in policy- and decision making. Only this will open new vistas in governance.
