Kingsway, Rajpath to Kartavya Path: Journey of central axis of Delhi

The ceremonial boulevard of the national capital running from the Raisina Hill complex to India Gate, earlier called the ‘Kingsway’ under colonial rule and later ‘Rajpath’ after Independence, has been renamed to ‘Kartavya Path.’ According to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's own website, the move ‘symbolises a shift from erstwhile Rajpath being an icon of power to Kartavya Path being an example of public ownership and empowerment.’ 

Said to be the city of rainbow dreams because of its past of being built and rebuilt seven-times, the eighth sunrise of September this year brought yet another historic day for the capital city of India when the central axis was renamed.

Here is all you need to know about the history of the grand central axis in the heart of Delhi.

The ‘Path’ along the path of history

The British Raj

It was 1911 when the British government decided to move their capital from Calcutta (now Kolkata) to Delhi. That geographical shift was the watershed event in the history of Delhi's aura and architecture.

On 15 December in 1911, King George V and his consort Queen Mary laid the foundation stone of the 'new capital' of the British Raj.

Two of the most eminent architects and urban planners, Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker, were entrusted to take upon the task of building a city that would stand shoulder to shoulder to the glory and grandeur of many European and American cities.

The plan of a central axis called Kingsway was chalked out by Sir Edwin Lutyens with a view of building a modern imperial city. The centrepiece of this new plan was the Raisina Hill complex, housing the majestic Viceroy's House (now Rashtrapati Bhavan) and North Block and South Block forming the Imperial Secretariat.

The grand axis was laid from the Great Place (later renamed to Vijay Chowk) to India Gate by the architects. Further, to beautify and enhance the grandeur of the administrative complex, verdant lawns, fountains and ornamental lampposts were laid on both sides, forming the resplendent Central Vista Avenue.

Viceroy Lord Irwin inaugurated another monumental structure of the city in January 1927. It was the circular Parliament House near the Rashtrapati Bhavan built by Baker.

The city, took 20 years to be constructed sandwiched between the period of the two World Wars. The new city was inaugurated on 13 February, 1931 by the same viceroy.

India wakes to freedom

16 years later on 15 August 1947, with India winning independence over the colonial rule the the boulevard from Raisina Hill to India Gate was chock-a-block with people.

Soon after Independence, Kingsway was renamed to Rajpath and Queensway running perpendicular to it was rechristened as Janpath.

India then became a Republic on 26 January, 1950, and Rajpath became the venue of all Republic Day celebrations since then, except for the first Republic Day celebrations, which was held at Irwin Stadium (now Captain Dhyan Chand National Stadium) behind India Gate complex.

With time running its course, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday will inaugurate the stretch from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate as part of the revamped Central Vista Avenue with a new name, 'Kartavya Path".

What's in the name?

The rechristening of the central axis from Kingsway to Rajpath signified the sift in sovereignty and symbolised the independence of the country from the monarchical rule of England. On similar lines the way has been renamed to ‘Kartavya Path’, signifying the democratic spirit of India.

• The path was called Kingsway in honour of George V, who moved the capital of British India from Kolkata to Delhi.
• The avenue was renamed to Rajpath (literal translation of Kingsway) after independence to symbolise the end of British Raj.
• The name of the ceremonial boulevard has been again changed to Kartavya Path to signify public ownership and empowerment.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi while ianugurating the Kartavya Path said, “Rajpath was for the British for whom the people of India were slaves. It was a symbol of colonialism. Now, its architecture has changed, and its spirit has also changed.”

Earlier Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Meenakshi Lekhi had stated, "However, after 75 years of independence, it is felt that the name of Rajpath needs to be changed, in tune with the values and principles of democracy and a contemporary, new India. The Kartavya Path will also inspire everyone who visits or cross the road to perform their duties towards the country, the society and their families."

It is not only the name that is changing

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also unveil the 28-ft statue of Netaji Subhash Chnadra Bose at India Gate, housed in its ornamental canopy.

To cater to the increased traffic and to remodel the area, new red granite walkways spreading 15.5 km have been created, replacing bajri sand that lined the ground earlier. Along the path, the area spreading 3.90 lakh square metre has been developed with greenery all around.

The 2 canals ruining parallel to Kartavya Path have also been revamped. There are 16 bridges on the entire stretch. Boating will be allowed in two canals -- one near Krishi Bhawan and another around Vanijya Bhawan.

Seventy-four historic light poles and all chain links have been restored. Over 900 new light poles have been installed. Concrete bollards have been replaced with over 1,000 white sandstone bollards.

The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has set up five vending zones where 40 vendors each will be allowed and two blocks near the India Gate with eight shops each.

One hundred and one acres of lawns have been replanted with different species of grass, appropriate to their location. Proper slopes and drain channels have been integrated to minimise damage caused by the stagnation of water.

Four new pedestrian underpasses have been built at busy junctions to segregate vehicular traffic from pedestrian movement, making the street safe to cross.

The project of revamping the central axis of Delhi was tendered at ₹477 crore to Shapoorji Pallonji and Company Limited. The company has executed the redevelopment of the entire stretch from Vijay Chowk to India Gate.

The entire stretch has been revamped under the Modi government's ambitious Central Vista redevelopment project.

The inauguration of the ‘Kartavya Path’ and unveiling of Netaji's statue is just the beginning of the series of changes that will come with the much celebrated as well as contested Central Vista Project, a brain child of Modi-led central government.

What is the Central Vista project and what does it entail?

The central government announced in 2019 the redevelopment project to give a new identity to the central administrative corridor of India.

The redevelopment plan entails construction of a new parliament, prime minister and vice-president’s residences along with 10 building blocks that will accommodate all government ministries and departments.

The project is being piloted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The project will change the face of the 86-acre area in Lutyens’ Delhi that shows off India’s iconic buildings such as South and North blocks of Central Secretariat, Parliament House, and Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The total project cost is estimated to be ₹20,000 crore. Currently four projects are under construction — The new Parliament building, redevelopment of the Central Vista Avenue, construction of the three Common Central Secretariat Buildings and construction of the Vice President Residence.

Why is the Central Vista project important?

Central government called the Cenntral Vista Project of “national importance”. The government decided to redevelop the Central Vista area to meet the growing requirement for office spaces, provide state-of-the-art infrastructure and streamline haphazard development.

In the document inviting bids for the appointment of a consultant for the project in 2019, the Central Public Works Department said a new Master Plan was to be drawn up for the entire Central Vista area that represents the values and aspirations of a new India – good governance, efficiency, transparency, accountability and equity rooted in the Indian culture and social milieu.

The new Parliament building was proposed saying the existing 90-year-old one faces a shortage of office space, which means there are no chambers for Members of Parliament. With the likely increase in the number of seats, the situation was expected to aggravate.

The plan also includes construction of a common central secretariat to house all the ministries. Currently, the central secretariat is spread over 47 buildings. Ministries and government departments were paying ₹1,171 crore annually as rent because the government could not provide them office space.

Opposition of the Central Vista project

Opposition parties took a stand against the redevelopment project during the pandemic accusing the government of being ignorant. The government had decided to go ahead with it in the middle of the pandemic.

Some civil society members challenged the project in the Delhi high court and Supreme Court. In January 2021, a three-judge Supreme Court bench approved all clearances for the project, including environmental and change of land use.

A tragic tale of Delhi's beautification in the past

This is not the first time that a government has come forward to revamp the capital. During the Emergency years, Sanjay Gandhi, whose only claim to power was being the Prime Minister’s son, launched the demolition drive to clear Delhi of unauthorised slums and settlements.

Vice-President of the Delhi Development Authority, Jagmohan Malhotra was prompted to carry out the demolition at Sanjay Gandhi’s behest. Many orders for the demolitions were given by Gandhi orally, while he did not hold any constitutional post to carry out the operations officially.

Demolitions in Karol Bagh, Jama Masjid area and Turkman Gate were carried out. Bulldozers embarked upon the houses in Karol Bagh and shops were razed. Residents in Delhi’s old areas criticised Gandhi’s ‘Beautify Delhi’ plan.