Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the replacement of Edwin Lutyens' statue at Rashtrapati Bhavan with one of C Rajagopalachari, emphasizing a move away from colonial symbols and towards honoring Indian leaders.
A bust of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, the first Indian governor-general, has replaced a statue of British architect Edwin Lutyens at Rashtrapati Bhavan, symbolizing a move away from colonial influences and embracing Indian heritage.
A special website has also been created to mark the year-long celebrations, Union Culture Secretary Arunish Chawla told reporters during a briefing at the National Media Centre in New Delhi.
Many ordinary citizens are drawn to by a sense of history and India's remarkable journey from bondage to freedom which culminated in this monumental building.
Historians and conservation architects describe the old edifice as a "repository of India's history" and its "democratic ethos", and an "architectural jewel" of Delhi.
The old Parliament building, an architectural splendour and a historic landmark that guided the destiny of India for nearly a century and whose illustrious legacy will now be consigned to the pages of history, was inaugurated on January 18, 1927 by the then Viceroy Lord Irwin.
The weather vane, which has stood at the venue since being donated by architect Herbert Baker in 1926, was damaged by strong winds in March.
From witnessing the dawn of Independence to playing host to annual Republic Day celebrations for over seven decades, the historic Rajpath in India's power capital has seen the colonial rule and basked in the glory of a free, democratic nation.
The new Parliament building, whose foundation was laid in December 2020 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is being constructed in its vicinity and the work is expected to be completed before the Winter Session.
Lord's Cricket Ground's famous weathervane, Father Time, has been damaged during high winds in London over the weekend.
Modi will also perform the ground-breaking ceremony for the building, which is expected to be completed by 2022 at an estimated cost of Rs 971 crore.
The sources further said that around five statues, including of Mahatma Gandhi and Bhim Rao Ambedkar, in the Parliament complex are also likely to be relocated temporarily due to the construction work and they will be reinstalled at prominent places within the new complex once the project is completed.
The 42-metre-high sandstone monument, sometimes compared to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris was laid down by Prince Arthur, the Duke of Connaught.
According to plans, the new structure will be more energy efficient, fitted with all modern amenities like multilevel parking facility, centralised air conditioning systems and solar panels, reports Arnab Dutta/Business Standard.
The existing Parliament building will be conserved as it is an archaeological asset of the country.
'As Indians, we should be claiming and celebrating 'Bhartiyata' rather than seeking commitment to beliefs which are divisive and exclusionary.'
The existing building is a British-era building, designed by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker who were responsible for planning and construction of New Delhi.
Officials also said that sufficient steps have been taken to control air and noise pollution during the construction work for the new parliament building, which will have separate offices for all MPs and those will be equipped with the latest digital interfaces as a step towards creating 'paperless offices'.
After years of preparations, the Centre has withdrawn the nomination of Delhi as the UNESCO World Heritage City.
'But you cannot encroach upon the spaces that belong to the public.' 'For this new Parliament building, we envisage a minimum of 400 trucks, the huge long trailer trucks will be coming in day in and day out right into the heart of the national capital.' 'It will completely destroy Delhi's peace.' 'The beautiful sylvan surroundings of the quiet, beautiful, New Delhi is going to be destroyed for all time to come.'
Earning the coveted UNESCO tag would not only have ramped up revenues through enhanced tourism but also helped in keeping monuments and heritage buildings in Delhi free of encroachment, say experts.
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