PM Modi lays foundation stone of new Parliament Building

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the New Parliament Building today at Sansad Marg in Parliament Complex. Tata Trusts' Chairman Ratan Tata, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Deputy RS Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh and various religious leaders were present on the occasion. 

The new Parliament building will be an intrinsic part of the centre's Atmanirbhar Bharat vision. Tata Projects Ltd has been given contract for the project.

#WATCH Live via ANI FB: PM Modi lays foundation stone of New Parliament Building in Parliament House Complex https://t.co/3mo97GEPcV pic.twitter.com/0iQwuoPbzC

— ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2020

Speaking after the Bhumi Pujan, PM Modi said that today is a historic day as the foundation of the New Parliament building has been laid and we the people of India together will construct this new building of the Parliament.

Today is a historic day as the foundation of the New Parliament building has been laid. We the people of India together will construct this new building of the Parliament: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/zgqoNGUVEq

— ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2020

The Prime Minister said that this is a day of pride for over 130 crore Indians and continued by saying that the new Parliament building is an example of the co-existence of the new and the old. 

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: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/DVC6FujkNf

— ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2020

He said that he can never forget the moment in his life when he had the opportunity to come to Parliament House for the first time in 2014 as an MP. He further called it a temple of democracy.

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: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/MA0vtYiKIo

— ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2020

The Prime Minister further stated that if the old Parliament House gave direction to post-independence India, the new building would become a witness to the creation of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'. He added saying that the ambitions of 21st century India will be realised in the new building. 

Old Parliament building gave a new direction to India after independence. New building will be a witness to building of Aatmanirbhar Bhaarat. In old building, work to fulfill necessities of nation was done. In new building, ambitions of India of 21st century will be realised: PM pic.twitter.com/yQkio9j2mG

— ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2020

When is the construction of the building expected to finish?

The construction of the new Parliament building is expected to be finished by or before 2022, as the Lok Sabha speaker stated that the sittings of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha will be held in the new Parliament Building when the country will celebrate its 75th Independence Day in 2022.  The present Parliament building will soon be 100 years old.

Key Details

•Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part in the bhoomi pujan of the ground at 1 pm on December 10. The Lok Sabha speaker personally met PM Modi on December 5, 2020 to officially invite him for the function. 

#WATCH Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays foundation stone of New Parliament Building in Delhi pic.twitter.com/gF3w7ivTDe

— ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2020

•The new Parliament building will have a bigger Lok Sabha and Rajya Chamber with the lower house having 888 seats, while the upper house will have 384 seats. The strength of the Lok Sabha currently is 543 and Rajya Sabha 245. 

•The new Lok Sabha Chamber will be able to accommodate 1224 members during a joint session of the parliament. The new Parliament building will not have a central hall unlike the existing one. 

•The  new building will be 17000 sqm bigger than the old Parliament building and it will include more Committee Rooms and Political Party offices than the existing Parliament House.

•The new Parliament will be earthquake-resistant, and adaptable to the most modern digital technology. It will come up in an area covering 64,500 sqm at a cost of Rs 971 crore.

•The new building will incorporate indigenous architecture from different parts of the country and showcase cultural diversity.

•As per the Lok Sabha Speaker, around 2000 people will be directly involved in its construction, while another 9000 will be involved indirectly. Over 200 artists from different parts of the country are also expected to work for the building.

•Another building will also be made adjacent to the new Parliament House, on the site of Shram Shakti Bhavan, which will comprise rooms for all MPs and will be connected through an underpass.

•Tata Group had won the contract for the construction of the new Parliament Building with a bid of Rs. 861.90 crores. 

What will happen to the existing Parliament building?

As per Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, the existing Parliament building will be conserved as an archaeological asset of the country.

Background

The construction of the new Parliament building is a part of the central government's Central Vista Development Project, which was announced by the Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs in October 2019. The project envisages construction of a new triangular Parliament House, revamping of the South and North blocks of Central Secretariat and the 3 km long Rajpath. The entire project is estimated to cost Rs 20,000 crores.