PM Modi Lays Foundation For New Parliament Building

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday laid the foundation stone for the new Parliament building, which is expected to be completed in time for India's 75th Independence Day in August 2022 at an estimated cost of Rs 1000 crore.  

"What can be more beautiful, sacred than having a new Parliament inspire us when India celebrates 75th year of freedom," PM Modi said, adding that the current Parliament building is nearly 100-years-old. "It was upgraded many times, but now it needs rest,".

According to PTI, "Old Parliament building gave a new direction to India after independence. The new building will be a witness to the building of Aatmanirbhar Bhaarat. In the old building, work to fulfill the necessities of the nation was done. In the new building, ambitions of India of 21st century will be realised," said the PM.

Speaking on the occasion, PM Modi said, "Today is a very historic day as the foundation of the New Parliament building has been laid. Terming it as a milestone in India's democratic history, we the people of India together will construct this new building of the Parliament," Mint reported.

"This is a day of pride for over 130 crore Indians when we are witnessing this historic moment. The new Parliament building is an example of the co-existence of the new and the old. This is an effort to make changes within oneself in accordance with the time and needs," he added.

"I can never forget the moment in my life when I had the opportunity to come to Parliament House for the first time in 2014 as an MP. Then before stepping into this temple of democracy, I had bowed my head and saluted this temple of democracy." He further said

Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla also said that the new building will be a prime example of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'.

However, no construction can immediately begin as various pleas against the project are pending in the Supreme Court.

Key Highlights:

• The new Parliament complex will have four floors — lower ground, upper ground, first and second floors.
• A total of 120 office spaces, including committee rooms, major offices of the ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Lok Sabha Secretariat, Rajya Sabha secretariat, offices of the Prime Minister, some MPs and offices for staff and security personnel will be housed in the new Parliament. It will also have a reading room for MPs. It will not have a Central Hall.
• Lok Sabha chamber, which will come up on 3,015 square metre area, will have 888 seats instead of present 543 seats spread over an area of 1,145 square metre.
• Rajya Sabha chamber, spread over an area of 3,220 square metre, will have 384 seats against its current strength of 245 seats on 1,232 square metre area.
• During a joint session, the new Lok Sabha chamber will be able to accommodate 1,224 members.
• MPs will be seated in two-seater benches, which can accommodate three in case of joint sessions, in a horseshoe pattern in front of the Speaker.
• The seats will be 60 cm wide and 40 cm tall, bigger than the present seats that have a width of 45 cm and height of 40 cm.