The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) is yet to finalize the design for an “iconic structure” slated to be built at the New India Garden, or Nav Bharat Udyan, which will be developed on the banks of the Yamuna, said officials.
Originally proposed to be completed by August 15 this year to commemorate 75 years of India’s independence, the structure is to be 134m tall, and is being planned to “realize the grand vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat”, said the Central Public Works Department’s design brief when it launched a competition almost two years ago seeking entries for what the structure should look like.
CPWD began the competition in November 2020 and then July 2021. Though about 600 firms and individuals registered for the competition, the agency received 151 proposals till October 19,2021, which was the last date for submissions. A senior CPWD official said that the design of the structure is in the process of being finalized, and a revised deadline for the New India Garden project is not yet in place. “We received 151 entries in 2021. The finalisation of the design is under process. The revised timeline for completion of the New India Garden project has not been finalised yet,” the official said.
Spread over 25 acres, the New India Garden is proposed as part of the plan to extend the Central Vista axis from India Gate till the western bank of the Yamuna. Located near the Old Fort, the garden will have infotainment facilities, a “sphere of unity”, a walkway, an exhibit titled “Journey of India”, a “tech dome” and an open-air theatre — apart from the “iconic structure”.
The Central Vista project includes the redevelopment of Central Vista Avenue, the construction of a new Parliament building, the refurbishment of North and South Blocks, and the construction of new Central government offices, including a common Central Secretariat, and central conference facilities, among others.
Work on the Avenue is nearly complete, though no date has been finalized for its inauguration, officials have said. The new Parliament building, meanwhile, is 70% complete, Union minister of state for housing and urban affairs Kaushal Kishore informed Lok Sabha on Thursday, adding that the House will be ready by November 2022.
A senior Union ministry of housing and urban affairs ministry said, “The details for the iconic structure are being worked out.” Meanwhile, CPWD has approached the National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI) in Lucknow for landscaping work on the garden, the official added.
