India's temple of democracy needs expansion

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan's proposal for having a new Parliament building has found favourable response from the central government. Mahajan approached the urban development ministry, following the demand for more space for parliamentary committees and other legislative work. Her office feels the current seating capacity of 550 members in Lok Sabha cannot be expanded further and more space would be required in 2026, following the delimitation survey in 2021. It would take at least six years to construct the new complex. Business Standard looks at the facts of the current and iconic Parliament building, which came into existence in 1927.

Ready Reckoner

• It was designed by two famous architects - Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker - who were responsible for the planning and construction of New Delhi
• Foundation stone was laid on February 12, 1921 by H R H The Duke of Connaught
• The then Governor-General of India, Lord Irwin performed the opening ceremony on January 18, 1927
• The cost of construction was Rs 83 lakh
• Parliament House covers an area of nearly six acres. It has 12 gates
• Its Central Hall has historical importance. It is at this place where the British transferred power to India on August 15, 1947. Currently, it is used for holding joint sittings of the two Houses. President addresses both Houses in the Central Hall
• The Lok Sabha chamber has seating accommodation for 550 members. The seats are divided into six blocks, each with 11 rows. Block no. 1 on the right-hand side of the Speaker's chair and Block no. 6 on the left-hand side have 97 seats each. The remaining four blocks have 89 seats each
• Rajya Sabha is almost on the same pattern as that of the Lok Sabha chamber but it is smaller in size. It has a seating capacity of 250. It is also equipped with modern sound equipment, automatic vote recording and the simultaneous interpretation system
• Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi laid the foundation stone for parliamentary library on August 15, 1987 and then Speaker Shivraj V Patil had performed the bhoomi poojan on April 17, 1994. It operated from the Parliament House till 2002. Former President K R Narayanan inaugurated the Parliamentary library building on May 7, 2002. It has a space of three million volumes
• Parliament House annexe was designed by J M Benjamin and its foundation stone was laid on August 3, 1970 by then President V V Giri. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi inaugurated it on October 24, 1975