On Thursday, the historic 3 km (1.8 m) long avenue in Delhi, the capital of India, will be reopened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It cost about 6 billion rupees ($75 million; £65 million) to renovate the road, which serves as the site of the Republic Day celebrations.

It is a component of a broader redevelopment programme that also calls for the construction of a new parliament building and mansions for the vice president and prime minister. Around 200 billion rupees is the estimated cost of the entire project.

In order to renovate the area in central Delhi that is home to important government buildings, PM Modi’s administration proposed the Central Vista project in 2019. Leaders of the opposition sharply criticised the initiative, citing both aesthetic and budgetary issues. Along with the renaming of the street from Rajpath (King’s Avenue) to Kartavya Path, this will happen at the inauguration on Thursday (Path of Duty). India Gate, a war memorial, and Rashtrapati Bhavan, the president of India’s official house, are only two of the significant structures that are connected by the route.

The redesigned roadway, according to the government, features more parking spaces and amenities including extra restrooms, food stalls, vending kiosks, and designated locations for public performances. Cleanup and renovation work has been done on the canals and walkways that line the road. According to local media sources, the avenue’s security has also been stepped up with the addition of security officers and CCTV cameras. On Thursday, Subhas Chandra Bose will also receive a 28-foot granite statue at India Gate, which will be unveiled by Prime Minister Modi. The stretch will be made accessible to the public following the formal event.