Rajpath to be Renamed as Kartavya Path: Central Government has decided to rename the historic Rajpath and Central Vista lawns as Kartavya Path ahead of its opening after redevelopment as part of Central Vista Avenue. After being under redevelopment for nearly 20 months, Central Vista Avenue is all set to be opened on 8th Sept 2022. TheUnion Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry has confirmed that Central Vista Avenue will be reopened on 8th Sept through an official announcement. The avenue is part of the larger Central Vista Project, which includes a new Parliament Building which has been redesigned in a unique triangular shape as well as the Central Secretariat and several other Government offices.
PM @narendramodi ji continues to lead from the front in removing all aspects of colonial baggage from public life.
Renaming ‘Rajpath’ as ‘Kartavyapath’ is an important step to keep reminding #NewIndia of its capabilities and erasing colonial legacy. https://t.co/sgk9O2ZN6B
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp)
September 6, 2022
The Ceremonial boulevard which runs from Rashtrapati Bhavan on Raisina Hill through Vijay Chowk and India Gatewas named the Kingswaynamed after King George V, during the British Era. Post-independence, the road was renamed Rajpath the Hindi for ‘Kingsway’. But now, the government has decided to rename it Kartavya Path, breaking away completely from its colonial past.
NDMC meet to consider renaming proposal
NDMC – the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) will be meeting on the 7th Sept – Wednesday to consider the proposal for renaming Rajpath Kartavya Path.NDMC Vice Chairperson and BJP leader Satish Upadhyay speaking to reporters confirmed that “We are convening a special meeting on September 7 to discuss and rename the Central Vista and Rajpath stretch as Kartavya Path. The proposal is yet to come but the meeting has been called. All members and officials concerned will participate in the meeting.” Sources have confirmed that the 2-km stretch of road spanning from Raisena Hills to India Gate will be renamed by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) as Kartavya (duty) Path.
Breaking Away from Colonial Past
The renaming of Rajpath, which is the Hindi Translation of Kingsway to Kartavya Path comes as part of the Central Government’s push to break away from the shackles of the colonial past. Just a week ago, PM Modi also unveiled the new Ensign of the Indian Navy, in which the Saint George Cross was replaced with an OctagonalShield inspired by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
PM Modi, in his Independence Day address on 15th August, had also given the citizens of India “panch pran”, which will be the foundation of the Amrit Kaal of India – the next 25 years until 100 years of independence. As part of the Panch Pran, PM Modi had urged every citizen to perform their duty towards the country. The renaming of Rajpath as Kartavya Path will also serve as a reminder to all citizens including the Prime Minister, Chief Minister and government officials, who frequent the boulevard.
Redesign Kartaya Path and Central Vista Avenue
Central Vista Avenue is one of the most popular public venues in the National Capital and attracts a lot of locals and tourists. Rajpath is the showpiece stretch for the Republic Day parade on January 26 every year.The Avenue stretches from Raisena Hills upto India Gate covering nearly 1.1 lakh square metres with greenery all around. As part of Central Vista, the avenue has been redeveloped with green stretches and adorned with 133 lamp posts along the Road, 4,087 trees, 114 modern signages and stepped gardens. The redesigned avenue will also be revamped with dedicated vending zones where food from 16 states will be available. The redesigned vista will also have public amenities and parking zones for more than 1000 cars.
Rajpath – Brief History of
Rajpath, which will now be known as Kartavya Path, is the ceremonial boulevard which runs from Rashtrapati Bhawan down to Vijay Chowk and India Gate, ending at Purana Qila – the 16th-century fort. The road was named Kingsway in 1911 by Britishers in honour of King George V who visited during the Delhi Durbar, after shifting of capital from Calcutta.
The Rajpath in Delhi is Hindi for Kingsway, its original name. It was named as such in the honour of King George V. His statue would be replaced by Subhas Bose’s on September 8. It’s time we renamed Rajpath. There is no raja and there is no raj now. Pls retweet in public interest pic.twitter.com/D6OlrKpDYh
— Anuj Dhar (@anujdhar)
September 5, 2022
Like the Parliament Building and Rashtrapati Bhawan, the Rajpath was also designed by British architect Sir Edwin Lutyen. The location of Rajpath and Rashtrapati Bhawan, then known as the Viceroy’s palace, was chosen as the top of the Raisena hills as it offered an uninterrupted view of the new city. After independence, it was renamed Rajpasth – Hindi Translation for Kingsway. Since then, the boulevard has been the power centre of the Republic and one of the most iconic and popular places in the country.
