Speaker to decide if Winter Session will be in new building: Minister

Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs said finishing touches are being given to new Parliament building

Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishore on Tuesday said finishing touches are being given to the new Parliament building and the Lok Sabha Speaker will decide whether the forthcoming Winter Session will be held there or the existing building.

The Winter Session of Parliament will begin on December 7 and conclude on December 29.

The government has maintained that the project would be completed by November.

Kishore said the project was on track and efforts were being made to complete the construction work as soon as possible.

"The Speaker will decide whether the Winter Session of Parliament will be held in the new building or the old one," Kishore told PTI.

On the completion of the project, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said earlier this month that it was up to the government to make the announcement regarding the date.

In December 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone of the new Parliament building which will have modern facilities. Tata Projects Ltd is constructing the building.

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.

Under the Central Vista redevelopment project, the government will also construct an Executive Enclave that will house a new Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Cabinet Secretariat, India House and National Security Council Secretariat.