Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be laying the foundation stone of the new Parliament building under the government's ambitious Central Vista project during the ground-breaking ceremony on Thursday.
The Central Vista is a redevelopment project which entails building and refurbishing the government buildings on part of the 3-km Rajpath that stretches from Rashtrapati Bhavan to the iconic war memorial, India Gate.
The foundation laying ceremony has come just after the country's Supreme Court ordered the government to halt all construction activities until it decides on a bunch of petitions challenging the mega redevelopment plan.
Central Vista project: Here's all you need to know
1. Timing: The event will begin at 12:55 pm and the foundation stone will be laid at 1 pm. After that, a 'sarva dharma prarthana' (inter-faith prayer) will be held at 1.30 pm. PM Modi will deliver a speech at 2:15 pm.
2. PM and VP's office: Under this mega redevelopment project at Lutyen's Delhi, the residence of the prime minister is likely to be shifted near the South Block that houses the PMO. The vice president's new residence will be closer to the North Block.
3. New Parliament building: The new Parliament building will be triangular in shape spread over 64,500 metres, and will be able to house 1,244 MPs.
4. Bigger Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha: The Lok Sabha chamber will have a seating capacity of 888 MPs, while the Rajya Sabha will have a sitting arrangement for 384 MPs.
5. Separate offices for MPs: All MPs will have separate offices in the new building. At present, Lok Sabha has a sanctioned strength of 543 members and Rajya Sabha 245.
6. Amenities: The new building will also have a grand Constitution Hall to showcase India's democratic heritage, a lounge for members of Parliament, a library, multiple committee rooms, dining areas and ample parking space.
7. Builders of new Parliament building: In September this year, Tata Projects Limited won the bid to construct the new Parliament building. The new building will be constructed close to the existing one under the Central Vista redevelopment project.
8. Architect of Central Vista project: Gujarat-based architecture firm HCP Designs won the consultancy bid for this ambitious project of the government. HCP Design, Planning and Management Pvt Ltd, based in Ahmedabad, is led by architect Bimal Patel and has developed several projects, including the Sabarmati Riverfront Development.
9. Construction work: A monitoring committee drawing members from the Lok Sabha Secretariat, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the CPWD, the NDMC and the architect of the project will monitor the construction work.
10. Central Vista project cost: The Central Vista redevelopment project is expected to be completed by 2022 at an estimated cost of Rs 971 crore.
When was parliament constructed in India?
The foundation stone of the existing Parliament House was laid on February 12, 1921. The current Parliament building is a British-era structure, designed by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker. It took six years for the construction of the existing Parliament building and was made of Rs 83 lakh at that time.
The opening ceremony of the existing Parliament was performed on January 18, 1927, by the then Governor-General of India, Lord Irwin.
The existing building is a massive circular edifice of 560 feet in diameter. The Parliament House Estate is enclosed by an ornamental red sandstone wall or iron grills with iron gates that can be closed when occasions demand. The building has twelve gates.
Also read: Videocon's Dhoot offers to settle Rs 31,289 crore debt; creditors say 10-15 years plan no good
Also read: Pfizer-BioNtech COVID vaccine to employ differential pricing for different countries
(Edited by Mansi Jaswal)