  We present a sensitive $\lambda$20cm VLA continuum survey of the Galactic
center region using new and archival data based on multi-configuration
observations taken with relatively uniform {\it uv} coverage. The high dynamic
range images cover the regions within $-2^\circ < l < 5^\circ$ and $-40' < b <
40'$ with a spatial resolution of $\approx30''$ and 10$''$. The wide field
imaging technique is used to construct a low-resolution mosaic of 40
overlapping pointings. The mosaic image includes the Effelsburg observations
filling the low spatial frequency {\it uv} data. We also present high
resolution images of twenty three overlapping fields using DnC and CnB array
configurations. The survey has resulted in a catalog of 345 discrete sources as
well as 140 images revealing structural details of HII regions, SNRs, pulsar
wind nebulae and more than 80 linear filaments distributed toward the complex
region of the Galactic center. These observations show the evidence for an
order of magnitude increase in the number of faint linear filaments with
typical lengths of few arcminutes. Many of the filaments show morphological
characteristics similar to the Galactic center nonthermal radio filaments
(NRFs). The linear filaments are not isolated but are generally clustered in
star forming regions where prominent NRFs had been detected previously. The
extensions of many of these linear filaments appear to terminate at either a
compact source or a resolved shell-like thermal source. A relationship between
the filaments, the compact and extended thermal sources as well as a lack of
preferred orientation for many RFs should constrain models that are proposed to
explain the origin of nonthermal radio filaments in the Galactic center.
