This video was made possible by Morning Brew. This is the plan for India's new government
district, which is currently under construction. The Indian government is planning a massive
redevelopment project in the country’s capital New Delhi. However, the new buildings that will serve
as the seat of government will not be built in a new location. Rather, the current administrative center,
which includes the Indian Parliament as well as the official seat of the Indian President
will be completely renovated with total costs estimated at around 2.7 billion USD. And this project symbolizes a renewal process
that has been in the making for a long time. - Intro Music - The Central Vista was designed when India
was part of the British Empire. In 1911 the British Imperial Government decided
to move the capital of the then British Indian Empire from Calcutta to Delhi. The reason for this were strong nationalist
protests in Calcutta creating an uncomfortable situation for the colonial government. The construction of a new administrative area
was planned at a location that had often served as the political center in the region in the
past. This map of Lutyens shows their plan, above
in black colour is Old Delhi and in red the planned new Imperial Delhi. The architects created a ceremonial axis along
which parks and government buildings are located, the Kings Way, or today Rajpath. Lutyens took inspiration from some of the
most famous avenues around the world such as the Champs-Élysées in Paris, which at
one end leads to the Arc de Triomphe. In turn, the Kings Way designed by Lutyens
leads towards the All India War Memorial known today as India Gate. Another great inspiration was the National
Mall in the US capital, Washington DC. Both cities are characterized by a central
axis, which is about 3.5 kilometers long. Both centers are arranged similarly in terms
of their geometry. With shorter cross axes and diagonal streets
which lead towards the main way. On one end of the Washington Mall is the Capitol,
the seat of Congress. Vice versa, on one end of New Delhi's central
axis you find Viceroy’s House, the official seat of the representative of the monarch
of the United Kingdom. Even if architecturally clear similarities
can be recognized, it is nevertheless important to note that the context in which these two
administrative centers were created is fundamentally different. After all, Washington came into being as a
result of American independence. A new capital city was designed from the ground
up. The administrative center of India, in turn,
emerged in Delhi, which already was one of the oldest cities in the world. By setting up their seat of government here,
the british linked their monarchy with the deep history of the subcontinent. While Washington was the result of liberation,
New Delhi was commissioned by a colonial power. After India gained independence, the administrative
district in Delhi became the center of a new independent nation. And it was further developed as many of the
buildings had to change their function. Viceroy's House became Rashtrapati Bhavan,
the official residence of the President of India. The Parliament which originally housed the
Imperial Legislative Council, is now used to house both chambers of India's democratically
elected parliament. Meanwhile, the population of the city increased
and there was immense development pressure on this area. New office buildings were constructed, but
there was a lack of vision of how this area should be developed. Today, the Central Vista is certainly a landmark
in the country. The parks have become a popular social gathering
spot and every year on January 26th the Republic Day parade takes place. However, since many of the buildings are now
being used for a different purpose than originally intended, this administrative center actually
only houses part of the government buildings. The Secretariat Buildings are supposed to
house the various ministries of the Indian government. However, their size is no longer sufficient,
which is why a large part of the ministries, as well as the prime minister's residence,
are located outside of Central Vista. Therefore the Indian government has decided
to redevelop the entire area. Under the direction of Indian architect Bimal
Patel, the architecture firm HCP designed what is supposed to be the future of Central
Vista. The parliament building is clearly too small
for today's requirements of Indias democracy and it is in a structurally desolate state. Therefore, a completely new building will
be created right next to the old parliament. While the old parliament is circular, this
new parliament is in triangular shape. Nevertheless, it references many of the ideas
present in the current parliament's design. Today's parliament building consists of 3
semicircles that face each other. They house two chambers of parliament as well
as a library. In the middle there is a common hall from
which you can navigate to the different rooms. And In between these halls, there are various
courtyards. The whole thing is surrounded by a circle
that provides space for offices. In a very similar way, the new parliament
will also have office space facing outside. Inside, however, the space is used significantly
more effectively by reducing the courtyard area. The two chambers of parliament can therefore
be built much larger in order to meet today's requirements. As already mentioned, the Secretariat Buildings
are not sufficient for all the different ministries. And many of the buildings that currently stretch
along the Rajpath and house additional offices are in poor structural condition. These buildings will therefore be demolished
to make way for a massive new Central Secretariat. This should unite all ministries of the Indian
government in one place. These large buildings will each have a courtyard
in the middle, which will serve as a meeting and relaxation space. In order to make commuting to work easier,
the architects have planned underground electric people-movers that stop at every office building. Furthermore, a central conference center is
being built in which larger events can be held. It will have various auditoriums as well as
a number of conference and seminar rooms. The National Archive Building is also located
along Rajpath. This currently comprises an old building by
Lutyens from the Imperial period, as well as a newer building that was added later. As part of the current redevelopment, the
old building is to be renovated, but otherwise retains its function. While the newer building will be demolished
and replaced. Also currently located along the Rajpath is
the Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts, a major government-funded cultural institution
in the country. The center will have to move, as the current
buildings will be demolished to make way for the new Central Secretariat. A new building for the institute is to be
built on the India Gate Circle. Another building that needs to make way for
the new Central Secretariat is the National Museum. But since all ministries are now united in
this Central Secretariat, the current Secretariat Building loses its function. The plan is therefore to relocate the National
Museum to these two much larger buildings. The new National Museum will then have three
times as much space as it currently does. And architect Patel, who oversees the redevelopment
also considers this a symbolic change that reflects the power of the people in a democratic
nation. The British built the old Secretariat on an
elevation, with the government buildings located on Raisina Hill. But with the new plan to convert these buildings
into a museum for the public and to relocate the Central Secretariat along Rajpath, the
arrangement reflects the rule of the people in an independent India. "Presently, you know if you are lucky and
if the Prime Minister is not in office then you can walk up and gape at those buildings,
and see these big architectual instruments of intimidation and wonder what goes on inside. Now, they will become museums that you can
walk up to." Patels plan also moves the residency of the
Vice President and the Prime Minister to a new location. Currently, the Prime Minister's residence
is outside of Central Vista. This new arrangement will not only bring these
office holders close together but also reflect the political hierarchy of India. Centrally located is the seat of the President,
the highest-ranking office in the nation. To the presidents sides, there will be the
seat of the Vice President on one hand, and the seat of the Prime Minister on the other
hand, who although having the most political power, comes in third in the nations ceremonial
hierarchy. Adjacent to this residence is the new office
of the Prime Minister, which is then located directly opposite the old and new parliament. Finally, the Rajpath, the central main axis
and its parks will be fundamentally overhauled. New vegetation will be planted, facilities
will be completely renewed and pedestrian underpasses will improve the experience for
visitors. The Central Vista Redevelopment Project is
controversial in India and there is criticism from many different sides. "Now, that is to say that I think as non residents
of Delhi I really don't think you get this space." "You're taking in money from the middle class,
you're not giving money to the poor people and you're spending it on your Central Vista." "Most of your presentation talked about making
incremental improvements to status quos. But there was no larger ambition." Questions regarding the project's ambitions
are commonly discussed in India. It is a challenging question. Especially since the architects were faced
with the difficult task of renovating an already existing landmark. This area is deeply connected to Indian history
as well as the British Raj. For some critics, this project represents
an attempt to erase colonial history from this place, and therefore from collective
memory. For others, the design is too restrained and
lacks vision. Much of the criticism also relates to the
point in time when this prestigious project is being implemented. As the government is spending large sums of
money on this project at a time where the nation is facing the life-threatening challenges
of the Covid-19 pandemic. The timing of this project also seems inappropriate
to some in regards to the current state of Indian democracy. Just recently, the US based organization Freedom
House, which monitors the state of democratic institutions worldwide has, in a controversial
move, downgraded India from a free democracy to a partly free democracy. Nevertheless, the project is currently under
construction, even if the discussions will certainly continue for a long time. 74 years after independence, this redevelopment
ensures that the political center of India reflects the ambitions of modern india. Architecture can do many things. It can look ahead to the future or into the
past, or as in this project, try to build a bridge between the two. In addition, architecture can be symbolic
and embody ideas such as openness, transparency, democracy and equality. But what architecture cannot do is put these
principles into practice and protect them. This is a task that will remain with politics
and civil society. What helps is to be well informed, even if
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