Quantity of Lives < Quality of Life

The Central Vista project has faced a lot of media attention, here it is explained simply and what are the concerns surrounding it.

With death and shortages of medical equipment remaining omnipresent - the Centre is aiming to spend roughly Rs. 25,000 Crore on a beautification project. The project was to begin this year; however, it had been postponed due to the rising COVID cases.

As the Government tries to restart the project, they face immense backlash from the masses. The project aims to create a single complex for all MPs, Parliament Buildings, and Governmental locations.

The project was needless from the beginning; there now is no moral ground too.

People sent a plea against the Central Vista Project to the Supreme Court, which was rejected but has now been taken up by the Delhi High Court. The plea has certain arguments which attempt to point out the problems with this large beautification project.

Numerous workers will end up being exposed to the deadly virus daily. Moreover, the construction project has been officially classified as an "essential service", a concept being argued through the plea. The project in the existing scenario has no use, essentiality, or service to the public. There is no healthcare reward or benefit which the mass will feel through this project.

After 100 years since Lutyen's Delhi's construction, the new project dishonour's his vision and beauty. Every country needs parliamentary expansions at some points; however, no expansion comes at the cost of historical beauty. The Buckingham Palace remains untouched as the heart of the West-World evolves. The broad road which takes you from our President's house to the staple of the Indian freedom struggle, the India Gate, now comes under a situation where people will not be able to reminisce its glory as we remember it.

With larger buildings taking over the vast green lands; what we remember the India Gate as would remain no more. The project has a lot of issues (which we will look at earlier), however, we cannot ignore the significance of the historic architecture on which the entire nation was born.

This project is another brick in the large wall of poor decisions which has been constructed over the last year. When under the dire situation of COVID-19, the requirement is to take adequate and correct decisions and dilute any distractions. The Parliamentary Standing Committee of Health had warned the Centre regarding possible oxygen shortage in October 2020.

However, the ignorance and lack of focus took its toll.

The Budget announced showcased a 137% increase in healthcare spending. However, that ended up just being a PR stunt - as now in April and May, the Centre has pushed all the responsibility of COVID towards state governments and private entities. There was about Rs. 35,000 Crore which were allocated to the vaccination drive, however, there were insufficient funds given for oxygen and medical equipment.

Moreover, is takes about Rs. 1,200 Crore to set up an AIIMS (this argument is supported below in the "My Take" section). There have been zero super speciality hospitals which have been constructed ever since the pandemic broke out over 14 months ago. More than 20 AIIMS like hospitals can be manufactured, but the Government has other plans. The Central Vista project is also promised to be finished within the next two years, however, it has been six years already since the construction of a much smaller AIIMS Madurai had begun.

The priorities are misplaced, and that hurts us.

The vaccination drive has failed. It has been 100 days since it started, and not even 2% of the population is vaccinated. There is so much wrong which is happening, and then you add a grooming project. It goes to shambles.

Time shall tell how the funds are used. For the Vista project, or for some morally sound COVID resistance support.

I would rather than doing an analysis of previously discussed topics, refute some arguments supporting the project. There are certain arguments which talk about the unsafe design of the existing parliament, injecting of funds in the economy, and long run saved money.

The unsafe design of the parliament is an important topic. Safety of national leaders is essential, and thus, the construction of the new parliament is on paper sound. Ignoring corruption and other large poorly built public buildings; the construction of the new parliament is just.

Muammar Al Gaddafi had forever believed in the theory of using infrastructure as a method to begin economic development. However, with the current state of things, money does not seem more important than lives. The economy is suffering, agreed - but it cannot be boosted at the cost of lives and labour. Money will enter the markets and there will be funds which will circulate and allow the country to come out another poor quarter. Nevertheless, when confidence in production and consumption goes down, this short run injection of funds will have long run negative impacts on our nation's consumption patterns.

Do not forget that the concept of "re-starting" the economy is the reason India is in the place it is today. As discussed in a previous post, it was the pre-mature victory and the greed to push the economy which ended up putting the country in the dire situation we find ourselves in. By pulling another one of those, I do not know how worse things can get now.

Lastly, in the long run there will be more Rs. 1000 Crore which would be saved in rent. This is a large sum of money which will surely benefit the country. Again, ignoring corruption - that is a sum of money, which is extremely useful and beneficial. However, that long run impact comes post the construction of the entire project and inauguration. That commitment in terms of time, is not recommended in a situation like this.

Many historical monuments were built post calamities, such as the Tokyo Tower after WWII. They were staples for their countries and played a large role in restoring the economy. Anyhow, that was a time where the market confidence was much higher than what it is now. The war was over. This war, is not. If you want infrastructure made, then, maybe make things which are in need right now. Hospitals. Infrastructure is at the heart of economic development, you can hit two birds with one stone. Make hospitals and get the economy running.

Modi government has made 14 AIIMS, however, just by opening 14 AIIMS does not mean that healthcare issues are solved. People from Mangalagiri, Bilaspur, Rajkot and other sites where the new AIIMS have been constructed are still coming to Delhi. The quality of AIIMS is still not matched, the "super-speciality" status is not there. Just opening a building and putting a board does not make it useful, the people inside need to be trained. There is so much wrong which is going on, and at this point everything is just another PR failing stunt.

So just based off of logic, there are certain compelling arguments which support the construction of the Central Vista project. However, simultaneously considering that there are things which require immediate attention (COVID) - the project is nothing but ill-timed and non-essential. The COVID vaccine budget is high (Rs. 3 lakh Crore), yes, but again if it is not implemented then those are just weight-less numbers.

Simply, what is more important today: the economy or the people who make the economy.