What's different in new Parliament likely to be opened in May end?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to inaugurate the new Parliament building soon. As per a report in NDTV, the new building could be unveiled in the last week of May to mark nine years of the Modi government at the Centre. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Gujarat chief minister took oath as India’s prime minister on 26 May 2014.

The Monsoon session, which is slated to begin in July, is unlikely to be held in the new building, reported News18. The construction of the structure, which was reportedly supposed to be completed by November 2022, is in its final stages.

What is the new Parliament building offering? Let’s take a closer look.

New Sansad

Modi had laid the foundation stone of the new building in December 2020, which is coming up adjacent to the current Parliament complex.

Bimal Patel of HCP Designs, Ahmedabad, is the architect overseeing the project, while the building is being constructed by Tata Projects Limited.

Built at an estimated cost of Rs 1,200 crore under the Central Vista Project, the new Parliament building will boast of nearly 5,000 works of art, reported English daily Indian Express.

The four-storey structure, which is triangular in shape, spans across 64,500 square metres.

The new building has 888 seats in the Lok Sabha chamber and 384 seats in the Rajya Sabha chamber, the report added.

The open courtyard constructed at an area of 2,000 sq metre will feature a banyan tree.

Moreover, the new complex has three doors – Gyan Dwar, Shakti Dwar, and Karma Dwar, with separate entrances for members of Parliament (MPs), VIPs and visitors, NDTV reported citing officials.

Sources told Indian Express that the building’s six entrances display “guardian statues showing auspicious animals”, which have been selected on the basis of their significance in Indian culture, vaastu shastra and the traits they represent.

The north entrance has gaja or elephant, which symbolises wisdom, fortune, intellect and memory. The ashva or horse, representing “endurance, strength, power and speed”, guards the southern doorway, as per the English daily.

Garuda or eagle, symbolising the “aspirations of the people” can be found at the eastern entrance. Swan or hamsa, which represents wisdom, is exhibited at the north-eastern entrance.

Two mythical creatures – makara and shardula – are displayed at other entrances of the new building. While the makara symbolises unity in diversity, shardula represents the power of the people, the Indian Express report explained.

What’s inside?

Times of India (TOI) reported in December 2020 that the new Parliament complex will have a grand Constitution Hall to display the “democratic heritage” of the country.

Unlike the existing complex, the new Parliament does not have a Central Hall.

The new building will offer a modern library, large offices and committee rooms, dining areas and abundant parking space.

Based on the peacock theme, the new Lok Sabha chamber is three times bigger than the one in the existing building, reported Business Standard.

The new Rajya Sabha hall is built on the lotus theme – India’s national flower, the report added.

Last July, prime minister Modi had unveiled the National Emblem cast on the roof of the new Parliament building. The 6.5-metre-high bronze emblem weighs 9,500 kg.

As per Indian Express, the new Parliament building is also equipped with six granite statues of important personalities, including freedom struggle leaders. Moreover, there are four galleries each for Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, three India galleries, a Constitution gallery and three ceremonial foyers.

The new complex will feature portraits of Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose and also prime ministers of India, as per News18. 

Each wall inside the building will showcase different themes such as the contribution of tribal and women leaders, noted Indian Express. 

The official vision document for the new Parliament building accessed by the English daily, says: “The artworks and its installation represent sanatan parampara that continued over thousands of years. Along with that, the overall theme is designed keeping in mind the study of vaastu shastra and maintaining the character of the building.”

The artworks will “depict Indian ethos and identity, related to both the civilisation and culture”, an official told Indian Express. 

A joint Central Secretariat, a new Prime Minister’s residence, a new Prime Minister’s Office, a new Vice-President’s enclave, as well as revamping of the Rajpath are also part of the Central Vista Project.

Notably, the demand for a new Parliament building dates back to 2012 when the then Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to then Speaker Meira Kumar had shot off a letter to the Urban Development Secretary. As per Indian Express, the letter had called for a “survey of area in the proximity of Parliament House Complex and identify suitable locations/sites for construction of a state-of-the-art new Parliament Building”.

In 2016, the then Speaker Sumitra Mahajan had also underlined the need for an upgrade, citing a lack of space in the existing Parliament building.

With inputs from agencies

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