PM Modi inaugurates Kartavya Path, says slavery symbol, Rajpath now consigned to history

Four new pedestrian underpasses have been built at busy junctions to segregate vehicular traffic from pedestrian movement, making the street safe to cross

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said if India had followed the path shown by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, then it would have reached new heights and asserted that Rajpath, a symbol of "slavery" during the British Raj has now been consigned to history.

Speaking after unveiling a 28-feet statue of Netaji and inaugurating Kartavya Path, the stretch of road from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate earlier known as Rajpath, Modi said the renaming has given the country new energy and inspiration.

He said that Kingsway or Rajpath, a symbol of slavery, has now been consigned to history and has been erased forever.

"If India had followed the path shown by Subhas Chandra Bose, then the country would have reached a new high; sadly he was forgotten," he said.

Netaji's statue at India Gate will now inspire and guide us, Modi said.

The revamped stretch is part of the Modi government's ambitious Central Vista redevelopment project.

"We took many decisions in the last eight years which have imprints of Netaji's ideals and dreams," said Modi.

He also said that the changes undertaken by the government are not just limited to symbols but are now part of policies.

He thanked workers involved in the development of the Kartavya Path and said that they not only built it but also showed others a way of 'kartavya' (duty).