Pranab to open K'taka's 2nd legislature in Belgaum today

The building is constructed on 127-acre plot at a cost of Rs 391 crore

The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee will inaugurate Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, the second legislature complex in the border city of Belgaum later today, amid objections by some political parties in Maharashtra, who have cited the boundary dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra.

The opening of the new building marks a significant milestone in the history of Karnataka since the formation of the state in 1956.

The three-storey building is built at Halaga-Bastwad villages on the outskirts of Belgaum at a cost of Rs 391 crore. It is spread on 127-acre land and built over the last four years by Pune-based B G Shirke Construction Technology Private Limited.

The structure is spread over 16,138 sq metres and consists of assembly hall, council hall, central hall on the model of Parliament and 38 chambers for ministers.

The central hall has seating capacity for 450 persons and is built to hold a joint legislature session. Such central hall is not even seen in Vidhana Soudha in Bangalore.

The assembly hall can accommodate 350 people while the capacity of the council hall is 100 seats. The space has been given to extend it as per need in future. About 27 acres of land has been reserved for construction of houses for legislators in future.

Rocks from Hesaraghatta near Bangalore were used for constructing the building while export quality Khanapur granites adorn the floors. Burma teak wood has been used for interiors.

After inaugurating the building, Mukherjee will address legislators and council members of Karnataka and members of Parliament. Governor H R Bhardwaj, Speaker K G Bopaiah, Council Chairman D H Shankarmurthy, Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and his council of ministers apart from Union ministers and officials will be present on the occasion.

Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy had first laid the foundation stone for Suvarna Vidhana Soudha at Vaccine Depot, Tilakwadi, during the assembly session held in Belgaum in 2006.  After the BJP government came to power, the location was changed to Halaga-Bastwad village on the national highway 4. The then chief minister B S Yeddyurappa laid the foundation stone on January 22, 2009.

The Shiv Sena, one of the supporters of Belgaum’s unification with Maharashtra, has called for a bandh in four districts abutting Karnataka to protest against President Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to the disputed border areas on Thursday.