Centre Renames Central Vista as Kartavya Bhawan Areas

The Government of India has renamed the Central Vista redevelopment area as the Kartavya Bhawan Area or Kartavya Bhawan Complex. Honorable Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal, has stated that the term “Central Vista” should not be used in any official documentation and should be replaced by the new name in all government documents.

What Is the Latest Announcement?

While addressing the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) Foundation Day function, Union Minister Manohar Lal stated that the redevelopment site formerly called Central Vista will now be referred to as the Kartavya Bhawan Area.

He stated that the ministries, departments, and official communications should give up the term “Central Vista” and start using the new official name.

Why Has the Central Vista Been Renamed?

According to the government, the name change reflects the changing identity of the capital of India and is in line with earlier efforts to move away from colonial terminology.

The new name conveys the idea of “Kartavya”, that is Duty with the concept of the responsibility of public institutions and civil services towards the citizens.

The Elements of the Kartavya Bhawan Area

The area will include,

• All current Kartavya Bhawans (office structures of the Indian government).
• Kartavya Path, which is the ceremonial road from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate.
• Any new government offices to be set up in the Central Vista Redevelopment Program.
• The new Common Central Secretariat, or Central Administration Office, where many of the ministries are based.
• This will provide a complete identity for this administrative area.

Important Aspects of the Central Vista Redevelopment Project

The Central Vista Redevelopment Project shall be one of the largest infrastructure projects ever undertaken by the Indian government.

Some of the innovations include,

• Constructing of 10 Common Central Secretariat buildings
• Providing modern office space for all the ministries of the Union of India.
• Facilitating better functioning of the different offices by placing them in close proximity.

Connection with Kartavya Path

The connection to the Kartavya Path was made as the current renaming followed the earlier historic step taken in 2022 when the government announced that Rajpath was renamed as the Kartavya Path.

This was to replace the colonial symbols with names that stood for the values and ethos of democracy and the importance of public service and civic responsibility.

Since then, Rajpath has been renamed to Kartavya Path, and the newly constructed government office complex was named as the Kartavya Bhawans.

Moreover, the new complex that houses the Prime Minister’s Office, Cabinet Secretariat, and National Security Advisor has been named Seva Teerth.

The naming of the larger administrative area as Kartavya Bhawan Area is a continuation of this renaming process.