Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated India's new Parliament building, which has been built adjacent to the old complex in the heart of New Delhi, on May 28. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla met Modi on May 25 and extended an invitation to inaugurate the new building, the Lok Sabha Secretariat said.
Now that the much-awaited inauguration is complete, here's all you need to know about Parliament's new address
— Construction of the new parliament building was completed in record time. Modi had laid the foundation stone of the new building on December 10, 2020.
— As per sources privy to the development, the new structure is built at an estimated cost of Rs 970 crore. The tender to construct the new Parliament building was awarded to Tata Projects in September 2020 at an estimated cost of Rs 861 crore. The original deadline for completing the project was November last year.
— As per the government website, the New Parliament Building has generated employment of 23,04,095 Man-Days; used 26,045 MT of steel; used 63,807 MT of cement; and 9,689 Cubic Meter of Fly Ash.
— The new building is part of the redevelopment of the Central Vista, the nation's power corridor. The existing parliament building is a colonial-era structure and is now 96 years old —one of the main reasons for building the complex. A legacy of the British rule in India, it was completed in 1927.
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— The new parliament building can seat 888 members in the Lok Sabha chamber and 300 in the Rajya Sabha chamber. In case of a joint sitting of both Houses, 1,280 members can be accommodated in the Lok Sabha chamber.
— The four-storeyed triangular building is spread over 64, 500 square metres. Sandstone has been used for the façade to match the heritage buildings of Central Vista.
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— To add traditional elements, hand-knotted carpets from Bhadohi in Uttar Pradesh have been laid out along with extensive use of wooden accents. The Sengol, a sceptre from Tamil Nadu, will also be installed in the new building. Besides this, India's national tree, the banyan, will feature in the shaded courtyard. The Lok Sabha's floor plan is based on a peacock theme – India’s national bird.
— The new building is equipped with modern office spaces, large committee rooms with state-of-the-art audio-visual systems, a revamped Sansad Bhavan and a new library. The new building will also be accessible for people with disabilities.
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— The new building addresses structural safety concerns as the current building was built when Delhi was in Seismic Zone-II. The capital is now in Seismic Zone-IV.
— As the new building is built alongside the existing structure, both will work together as an ensemble.
