Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s new parliament building in New Delhi. The triangular project is part of the $2.4 billion renovation of the capital colonial-era administrative center, named the Central Vista Redevelopment Project. The project will be composed of dozens of new government buildings spread across more than 85 acres.

Since its announcement, in September 2019, the plan has drawn much criticism from architects and heritage experts over the cost, ecological irresponsibility, and timing of the works. In 2020, a group of 60 former civil servants wrote an open letter to Modi highlighting among other things the architectural value of buildings earmarked for demolition.

Central Vista Avenue has been renovated too. The 1.8-mile boulevard called Kingsway during British rule, and renamed Rajpath in 1955 after the country gained independence. Today the road has been renamed Kartavya Path (or “road of duty”), according to Modi to erase forever every “symbol of slavery”.