New Delhi has evolved .... Today's Delhi is also Modi's Central Vista ::: But Viksit Dilli must breathe better, live healthier

New Delhi has evolved from ancient regional settlements into the imperial colonial capital designed by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, and finally into the sprawling metropolitan political heart of Bharat. 

Today's Delhi is also Narendra Modi's Central Vista. It is reflection of a broad vision -- 

Stronger India, Smarter Administration, Seamless Governance 

Let us not forget; --- Currently 781 (MPs - 543 Lok Sabha and 238 in Upper House, Rajya Sabha) representatives sit in Parliament.

But this data is based on the 1971 census when India’s population was a just 580 million (58 crore), -- meaning a single MP looks after an average of 2.5 million people. 

This will be up sooner than later.

ONOE is linked to this and so is the pending Delimilation Bills. 

In the words of Delhi Lt Governor, Taranjit Singh Sandhu :

"Few cities possess a legacy as rich as Delhi’s. Its forts, monuments, stepwells, archaeological remains and historic precincts tell the story of the many eras that shaped the city. 

"As Delhi modernises, protecting this inheritance becomes more important, not less. But conservation cannot mean freezing historic buildings and neighbourhoods in time: 

Heritage must remain a living part of the city, connected to the lives and aspirations of its people."   

"If the old Parliament House gave direction to post-independence India, the new building would become a witness to the creation of - AatmaNirbhar Bharat." -- PM Modi   Following India’s independence, a series of Central Secretariat buildings including Udyog Bhawan, Nirman Bhawan, Shastri Bhawan, Rail Bhawan, and Krishi Bhawan were built between 1956 and 1968. These structures were developed to meet the growing need for office space to accommodate the expanding functions of Central Government ministries.

Central Vista Avenue stretches across the iconic Kartavya Path and the lush lawns surrounding India Gate. 

The renaming of Rajpath to Kartavya Path marks a meaningful transition - from a symbol of authority to a walkway that celebrates the people’s role in shaping the nation. It reflects shared responsibility and democratic pride.

Great cities are defined not only by the infrastructure they build, but by what they preserve, restore and pass on. Delhi is uniquely endowed in both respects. 

The Yamuna and its floodplains, the Ridge, urban forests and biodiversity parks form the city’s ecological foundation; its monuments, historic precincts and archaeological sites carry centuries of history and culture.  

The Master Plan for Delhi (MPD) 2047 has been crafted taking all subject matters into consideration. 

Delhi has to keep in tune with the great march towards Viksit Bharat, 2047. It must demonstrate how a growing metropolis can combine development with environmental restoration and heritage conservation.   

The MPD-2047 envisages an interconnected Green-Blue network integrating the Yamuna, the Ridge, forests, biodiversity parks, water bodies, drains and neighbourhood parks into a unified ecological system.  The plan also places the Yamuna at the centre of Delhi’s ecological regeneration, with nearly 1,700 hectares of floodplain proposed to be protected, conserved and ecologically restored.  

No vision for Delhi’s future is complete without the Yamuna. For centuries this river has shaped the city’s history and civilisation.

But rapid urbanisation has placed unprecedented stress.  

MPD-2047

• Aims to build roughly 4 million (40 lakh) new housing units through greenfield land pooling and brownfield redevelopment to support an expected population of 3.2 crore by 2047.

Retains a 60:40 split, where a maximum of 60% of pooled land goes back to landowners for development and 40% is surrendered to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for city-level infrastructure.

Encourages high-density mixed-use development near mass-transit corridors with base FAR (Floor Area Ratio) starting at 400.

• Ease of Doing Business: 

Removes multiple mandatory No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from bodies like the Delhi Pollution Control Committee and Delhi Jal Board for standard building permits.  

From Kartavya Path to Parliament to the Vice President’s Enclave, the Central Vista is reshaping how India’s governance institutions are planned and designed bringing them in line with contemporary architectural benchmarks.

Delhi will also have to rebuild its relationship with the river. 

A proposed 52-kilometre cycling corridor, alongside walking trails, public greens and managed recreational spaces, will reconnect citizens with the waterfront, turning restored stretches into vibrant community assets while safeguarding their ecological integrity. 

A rejuvenated Yamuna can be both an ecological lifeline and a defining public space.  

There will be also a need to tackle pollution at source.

Hence, drains flowing into the river will be intercepted and treated through upgraded sewage treatment infrastructure, constructed wetlands and bioremediation, restoring its ecological health and natural floodplain functions.  

The focus should be on  --  Urban forests, biodiversity parks and ecological corridors.

Stress must be laid on parks and water bodies -- to complete a citywide framework for cleaner air and cooler neighbourhoods.  

The objective is more trees.

But at the same time -- healthier ecosystems capable of supporting local biodiversity and strengthening the capital’s long-term environmental balance.  

Delhi Lt Governor is right when he says:  "Delhi must prove that development and conservation are complementary, not conflicting. 

"A Viksit Dilli must do more than grow. It must breathe better, live healthier".

ends