India, Feb. 23 -- At Turkman Gate Chowk, the eye first naturally settles on Turkman Gate-a 17th-century stone fragment holding its ground against traffic, cables, and the chaos of street life. For years, the view toward the gateway's west-facing side, overlooking the historic Ramlila Maidan, was choked by construction. The recent demolition of those "encroachments" has opened up the sight-line. While standing at the stone gateway, you can now directly spot the Ramlila Maidan pavilion built to receive Elizabeth II in 1961-a structure so modest it can easily be overlooked. What now dominates the setting is the vertical concrete beyond: the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Civic Centre (see photo). At 112 metres, this glass-and-concrete tower surpas...