Contemporary designs, adequate room and energy-efficient features — a new block of apartments being readied for Members of Parliament in the Capital will have all of these. To meet the growing demand for space for Parliamentarians, the Central Public Works Department is building 14 new apartment complexes for Rajya Sabha members on Talkatora Road and envisages building new housing complexes in the North and South Avenue.
The CPWD demolished two buildings on Talkatora Road to construct two blocks of seven flats each for Rajya Sabha members. Spread over 2,000 square feet, each apartment will have four bedrooms, living spaces, office for the MP, and two quarters for the household help. There will be adequate covered as well as open parking.
The Rs. 27-crore project will be launched soon and will be ready in 18 months. “The houses have been designed, keeping in mind the needs of an MP. For instance, apart from living space for their families, they also need a home-office and a spare room for people from their constituency who visit. The houses are going to be very swanky, they will look like a modern-day apartment block and not just a building with no imagination,” said a senior official.
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The designing has been done after consultation with some of the MPs. “There were a lot of suggestions that the MPs made, which were constructive and relevant. We sought their opinion on the kind of space they require and the specific needs,” the official said.
The CPWD is, however, upbeat on the energy-efficient features of the building design. “There have been provisions for solar water heating, rainwater harvesting, and energy- efficient practices. There will be no central air-conditioning to save energy,” the official said.
Plans are also being drafted for apartments in North and South Avenue for Parliamentarians by knocking down the existing, old houses and constructing two-storey buildings. “The existing houses are very old and have space constraints. We have been approached to design and construct new spaces for the MPs. Since the North and the South Avenues are part of the Lutyens’ Bungalow Zone (LBZ), the new buildings will have to be 30-35 feet in height, which means, ground plus two more floors,” the official said.
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Approximately 296 existing houses will be razed to make space for 400 residential units of 2,000 square feet each. “It will be in accordance with the LBZ rules, with tree-lined avenues, low-lying houses and open spaces. These apartments will also be energy-efficient with all amenities including elevators,” said the official.