The statue of Netaji will be installed in the umbrella of George V, just behind India Gate

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to unveil the statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate next Thursday. He will also inaugurate the renovated Central Vista Avenue or Rajpath for public use on the same day. With this, the largest and most popular public place in the national capital will be reopened to the public after a gap of almost 20 months. According to a report published in The Times of India, on September 8, the program will be organized after sunset near India Gate in the capital. All street lights on Rajpath and lawns are fitted with sensors and automatically turn on when the natural light falls below a certain threshold and also turn itself off when there is sufficient illumination.

During the event, a 28-feet statue of Netaji made of special black granite from Telangana will be unveiled at the India Gate under the same chhatra (umbrella) that once housed the statue of British King George V. That statue was removed and shifted to Coronation Park in Burari, Delhi in 1968. Since then, this chhatri, located just behind India Gate, was lying vacant. Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a hologram statue of Netaji in it on January 23, 2021. If sources are to be believed, the seating arrangement near India Gate will be on the carpeted part and sitting in the lawn will not be allowed, so that no part of the newly renovated area is damaged.

Now people will be able to pass through India Gate
Sources said that all the works are being finalized in and around the 3-km long Rajpath. He said that the special focus is on maintaining the ‘lush lawn’, which is expected to be popular among the visitors. Once the new section of the entire 2 km is opened to the public, visitors will also be allowed to pass through the arches of the India Gate. Because the Amar Jawan Jyoti (the iconic inverted rifle and war helmet) has been shifted from there to the National War Memorial. However, stopping the visitors from entering the lawns, making them follow the rules and preventing them from entering the small canals built on the Rajpath will be a daunting task. If sources are to be believed, the government is hiring a housekeeping (to provide cleaning and security guards) agency for this work.

What will be new on the reconstructed Rajpath?
As part of the project, 4 pedestrian underpasses, 6 new parking lots, 8 convenience blocks, 6 vending zones and 2 terraced gardens or amphitheaters have been provided near India Gate. Lawns (layers of green grass) have been rehabilitated around the Rajpath, canals have been renovated and 16 permanent bridges have been built over them. All utility services have been made underground. About 1580 red-white sandstone bollards and 415 benches have been built for the visitors. 150 dustbins have also been installed for garbage. However, the original deadline for the entire project was November 2021. But the CPWD had to extend the deadline due to various reasons including COVID-19 and rearranging the irrigation system. This year this section was briefly opened for the Republic Day parade.