Indian GP - More development

April 23, 2007

When we last wrote that the proposed Indian Grand Prix will possibly be held on the streets of New Delhi, it was still a possibility. But as per the latest reports, the F1 track architect Hermann Tilke is currently in New Delhi and he is, said to be, finalizing the proposed track for the street race, thus adding more substance in our belief of watching an Indian Grand Prix in a near future.

Earlier we wrote that a part of the street-race track could be the part where Indian Republic Day parade is held each year. As per new reports, the new area that is being surveyed by Tilke is called “Lutyens Bungalow Zone” [LBZ]. The route that is followed during Republic Day parade, that we pointed out, does falls in the LBZ.

A little history lesson, Lutyens Bungalow Zone covers 26 square kilometers area which was supposed to be developed by European architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Barker in early 1911 as per neo-classical tradition from the European for the then ruling British Empire. The zone was named as Imperial Delhi. Though the grand plan was never executed completely because the war broke out in Europe in 1914 and the budget was drastically chopped-down.

Currently the LBZ zone houses the seat of the national government and contains the official residence of the President of India, the Prime Minister and all other Union ministers, members of Parliament, senior most members of the judiciary, senior most officers of the armed forces and the civil services, as well as housing important national public institutions. Therefore we are sure that Tilke would be starting on a handicap as the government and other political parties won’t allow the racetrack anywhere near such prominent buildings.

We will definitely keep you posted about the progress as and when it happens.