Govind Ballabh Pant's statue at Parliament relocated to eponymous Delhi roundabout

A statue of freedom fighter Govind Ballabh Pant, which was shifted by the CPWD from the Parliament complex for construction work, was unveiled at its new location on a roundabout at Pandit Pant Marg here on Wednesday.

At the event, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said the new site has been developed in a befitting manner to honour Govind Ballabh Pant's journey and philosophy.

''Given the central location and the fact that Pandit Pant Marg was named in the honour of Bharat Ratna Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant, the proposed site of relocation, Roundabout No. 48, was a suitable choice,'' the Union housing and urban affairs ministry said in a statement.

''The 'New India' envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is one that preserves and cherishes our rich history and tradition, while placing an impetus on development and progressive change,'' it said.

''The Central Vista project is one such endeavour that aims to address the vital lag in infrastructure needs of today while protecting and honouring the memory of our freedom fighters, vibrant history, architectural diversity and culture,'' it added.

Earlier this month, the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) had shifted the 16-feet bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi from its original spot facing the main gate of the Parliament complex to one between Gate 2 and 3.

Besides the new Parliament building, the redevelopment of the Central Vista, the nation's power corridor, envisages a common central secretariat, revamping of the 3-km Rajpath from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, a new prime minister's residence and a prime minister's office, and a new vice-president enclave.

Tata Projects Limited is constructing the new Parliament building.

The new triangular building is expected to be completed by the 75th anniversary of India's independence in 2022. The government plans to hold the monsoon session of Parliament in 2022 in the new building.

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