Central Vista Redevelopment Raises Questions About Presidential Residence
The Indian government's ambitious Central Vista redevelopment project, aimed at shedding the legacy of colonial rule, may ultimately lead to the construction of a new Presidential residence. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling dispensation have been determined to erase what they describe as India's “thousand years of slavery,” with the revamp of New Delhi's central administrative axis being a key part of this vision. The British built New Delhi after moving the capital from Calcutta in 1911, and the new capital was inaugurated in 1931 after 20 years of construction.
At the head of the Vista on Raisina Hill stood the Viceroy's House, the principal seat of imperial power. Down the hill were North and South Blocks housing the secretariat, followed by a vast rectangular space called the Great Place, at whose northern end a circular Central Legislature was built. From the gates of the Viceroy's House through the centre of the Great Place ran a grand 3 km-long road, Kingsway, flanked by lawns and ponds, culminating in the All India War Memorial (now India Gate). Beyond that was a large traffic roundabout with a canopy above the statue of King George V, which has since been replaced by a statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
Post-Independence Changes and Continuity
After India became a Republic in 1950, names were changed: Viceroy's House became Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Central Legislature became Parliament House, Flagstaff House became Teen Murti House (residence of the first Prime Minister), and the Imperial Records Department became the National Archives. New government buildings were constructed over time, including the National Museum, Krishi Bhawan, Shastri Bhawan, Udyog Bhawan, Nirman Bhawan, Vayu Bhawan, and Rail Bhawan. The houses of Executive Councillors were demolished, except for the Vice President's residence. Later, the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts and Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan were also built. Throughout these changes, an attempt was made to preserve the integrity of the Vista.
Under Prime Minister Modi, the Vista has undergone radical transformation. A new Parliament building and secretariat buildings have been constructed. North and South Blocks have been abandoned and will be converted into museums. A new Vice President's residence has been built, and a new Prime Minister's House is under construction. Several pre- and post-Independence buildings have been demolished. A grand War Memorial has been built near India Gate, and Netaji's statue now stands under the canopy that once held George V.
The Incongruity of the Presidential Palace
Despite these changes, the question remains: can the redevelopment be considered complete as long as the former Viceroy's House, the crowning edifice of British imperial authority, remains the residence of India's President? The Prime Minister has taken keen interest in constructing new buildings that blend India's ancient traditions with the aspirations of Viksit Bharat (Developed India). According to the article by Vivek Katju, changing “subsidiary” buildings may not be enough if the apex structure of the Raj remains the seat of the Republic's power. This incongruity may lead the government to consider making Rashtrapati Bhavan a historical monument and building a new Presidential residence that harmonises India's ancient glory with its current resurgence.
Constructing a new Presidential residence would be a mammoth and controversial project, but the Prime Minister has not shied away from dissent in matters he considers essential to his ideology and legacy. Land would need to be found in central Delhi, possibly through cancelling leases of imperial institutions and land parcels of adjoining government structures. While other reasons are given for these lease cancellations, the actual motive may be to secure land for a new Presidential residence.
