There was a mixed response among people, who had come to witness the Republic Day parade at Rajpath, about the Central Vista redevelopment project. Some said the government should have done it at some other place while others said it is the “need of the hour”.
This will probably be the last Republic Day parade on Rajpath before works for the project begins in the area.
‘Low economy’
Anmol Gupta, 23, said this is not the right time to carry out the project as “the economy is down due to the pandemic”. Her 20-year-old friend Ravi Kumar, an IIT-Delhi student, said a new parliament may not be actually needed. “Studies show that with time, the population will not increase in our country after a point of time. So, the argument that we will need a bigger parliament to accommodate more representatives doesn’t work,” he said.
Some get nostalgic
Raj Prajapati, 33, said people will miss the current Rajpath area. “There will be more security and entry for the public will be restricted in a way. But we do not know the final plan yet. But the new buildings can be an attraction too,” he said.
Nandakumar, 29, and his friend Agam Sharma, 26, were of different opinions about the project. “It’s the need of the hour. Right now, our government offices are very crowded, and we need more space,” Mr. Nandakumar said.
He said the government should develop another area for people for the loss of public space.
Mr. Sharma, on the other hand, said: “We do not need a new parliament building. Even the U.S. Capitol is very old. The current parliament can be protected and renovated. We do not have to chop down hundreds of trees in the name of development in the heart of the city,” he said.
