Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to lay the foundation stone for a new Parliament building in the first half of December, sources said.
The new building will be constructed close to the existing one under the Central Vista redevelopment project and it is expected to be completed in 21 months from the start of construction work. The redevelopment project of Central Vista — the nation’s power corridor — envisages a new triangular Parliament building, a common central secretariat and revamping of the 3-km-long Rajpath, from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate.
Although the proposed date of laying the foundation stone of the new Parliament building is around December 10, the final date would depend on the availability of the Prime Minister, the sources said.
According to the plan, the new Parliament building, which will have separate offices for all MPs, will be equipped with the latest digital interfaces as a step towards creating “paperless offices“. The new building will also have a grand Constitution Hall to showcase India’s democratic heritage, a lounge for members of Parliament, a library, multiple committee rooms, dining areas and ample parking space.
In September, Tata Projects Limited had won the bid to construct a new parliament building at a cost of ₹861.90 crore. The existing building is a British-era building, designed by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker who were responsible for planning and construction of New Delhi.
The foundation stone of the existing Parliament House was laid on February 12, 1921 and the construction took six years and cost ₹83 lakh at that time.
