A new parliament building is being constructed in New Delhi, as part of India’s Central Vista Redevelopment Project.
It will house the Parliament of India, which currently meets across the street from the new building in Parliament House.
The current Parliament House is a colonial-era structure designed by British architects Sir Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker that took six years to build (1921-1927). The Imperial Legislative Council was housed in the building, which was originally known as the Council House.
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Why is a new Parliament house being constructed ?
Over the years, the parliamentary activities and the number of people working therein and visitors have increased manifold.
In 2012, then-Speaker Mira Kumar formed a committee to propose several alternatives to the current structure. The current structure, a 93-year-old structure, is thought to have insufficient space for members and their staff, as well as structural issues.
Two new storeys constructed in 1956 over the outer circular part of the building hid the dome of the Central Hall and changed the facade of the original building.
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Further, the coverings of Jaali windows have reduced the natural light in the halls of two houses of the Parliament.
Therefore, it is showing signs of distress and over-utilization and is not able to meet the current requirements in terms of space, amenities and technology.
Despite this, the structure is considered to be important to India’s national heritage, and plans are in place to protect it.
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What will the new Parliament house look like ?
There is no record or document of the original design of the building. Therefore, the new constructions and modifications have been done in an ad-hoc manner.
-The New Parliament Building will be approximately 65,000 square metres in size.
-The Lok Sabha will be three times larger, with 888 seats, allowing MPs to sit more comfortably. It is based on the Peacock, the country’s national bird.
-A larger Rajya Sabha Hall will seat up to 384 people. It is based on the Lotus, the country’s national flower.
The Union Housing Ministry informed the Ongoing Parliament Session on December 2nd that the physical progress of the new Parliament building stands at 35% and is scheduled for completion by October 2022.
