 "Parliament, New parliament building")
The foundation stone of the new Parliament building was on December 10, 2020. With the construction of the building and inauguration complete, it is a matter of time before the shift from the old Parliamentary building is made. Here is everything you need to know about the new building, its design, upgrades, construction, and more.
Why was a new Parliament building constructed?
While the construction of the existing Parliament House commenced in 1921, it was not officially commissioned until 1927. The heritage Grade-I building has served the nation for nearly a century. During this time, due to the lack of original design records, any time the structure needed an upgrade, "ad-hoc modifications" were made, according to the Ministry of Housing Affairs. This includes the addition of two storeys in 1956, which obscured the Central Hall's iconic dome and also altered the building's overall facade.
Moreover, the building's "Jaali" windows were covered, reducing natural light in key Parliamentary halls. This has left the building showing clear signs of distress and over-utilisation, making it unable to meet the current requirements for space, amenities, and technology advancements.
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Following are some other reasons why a new Parliament building was required:
Space constraints and narrow seating:
The present structure was never intended to accommodate a bicameral legislature for a fully-fledged democracy. With 545 Lok Sabha seats determined by the 1971 Census, the seating arrangements are cramped and cumbersome, offering no desks beyond the second row. The Central Hall can seat only 440 individuals, causing severe limitations during Joint Sessions and posing security concerns due to restricted movement.
Distressed infrastructure:
Over time, essential services like water supply lines, sewer lines, air conditioning, fire-fighting systems, CCTV, and audio-video systems were added despite not being part of the original design. These changes have resulted in seepages, damaging the building's aesthetics. Additionally, the building's fire safety was a growing concern as it did not conform to modern fire norms. The introduction of numerous new electric cables also posed a potential fire hazard.
Obsolete communication structures and workspaces:
The communications infrastructure and technology within the Parliament House had become antiquated, necessitating dire upgrades. Acoustic improvements were also essential in the halls. Moreover, structural safety concerns arose as the building was originally constructed in a lower seismic zone than its current classification.
The demand for workspace grew, leading to the conversion of inner service corridors into offices, resulting in subpar quality and narrow workspaces. Sub-partitions were introduced within existing workspaces, creating crowded offices.
The new design
To address the challenges of the old building, the new Parliamentary building has been constructed to be more modern, efficient, and earthquake-resistant. Moreover, it has been designed with a projected lifespan of over 150 years and incorporates diverse Indian architectural styles.
Architecture firm, HCP Design, Planning and Management Pvt Ltd led the project with Bimal Patel as the architect.
The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha chambers have been designed to accommodate potential increases in the number of members of Parliament (MPs). With 888 seats in the Lok Sabha chamber, 384 in the Rajya Sabha chamber, and four floors of offices for ministers and committees, the new complex promises to meet the demands of India's growing population and future delimitation.
Construction of the new Parliament building
While there were bids since 2012, to construct a new Parliament building, the foundation stone for the project was laid only in December 2020 with Tata Projects Ltd leading the construction.
The total area for the new Parliament is 64,500 square metres. The building itself has eliminated the need for a central hall, allocating space more efficiently. It covers an area of 20,866 square metres, including a 2,000 square metre open-sky area for a magnificent banyan tree. This design is 10 per cent smaller in size than the existing circular building, divided into three sectors.
Three entrances, known as Gyan Dwar (knowledge gate), Shakti Dwar (power gate), and Karma Dwar (karma gate), are guarded by six statues: Gaja, Ashwa, Garuda, Makar, Shardula, and Hams.
The centrepiece, the Foucault pendulum, is suspended from the central foyer's ceiling. Standing at an impressive 22 meters and weighing 36 kilograms, it symbolises India's integration with the cosmos as it rotates on its axis, according to a report by the Hindu.
According to the official Central Vista website, the construction used 26,045 MT steel, 63,807 MT cement, and around 9,689 cubic metres worth of fly ash. The construction of the Parliamentary building also reportedly generated 2.3 million man-days of employment.
Budget and timeline
This project was built at an estimated cost of Rs 971 crore. The main structure was finished by August 28, 2022, while the entire project was completed on May 20, 2023. On May 28, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Parliament Building amid religious rituals.
Installation of the Sengol
The new Parliament building also houses the Sengol, a historical sceptre from Tamil Nadu, symbolising the transfer of power from the British to the Indians, following the Chola tradition.
A lot of criticism followed this move, especially from the Opposition parties questioning the validity of the story involving the Sengol and Nehru. Questions regarding the BJP's intention behind the installation of the Sengol were also raised.
Shifting to the new Parliament building
Earlier reports indicated that the monsoon session of Parliament, spanning between July and August, would begin in the old Parliament building before shifting over to the new Parliament building. However, this was not the case.
Recent media reports indicate that the special Parliament session, scheduled from September 18 to 22 with five sittings, will start in the old Parliament before moving to the new Parliament building.
A report by Deccan Herald stated that the shift to the new building may take place on the second day of the special session on September 19 which coincides with the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi.
