The government has decided to build a new parliament building after assessing the need for many changes and facilities in the old building. Several projects are now under the Central Vista to upgrade the infrastructure of various institutions of the government, which have not seen much change for decades. The project was conceived a few months before the outbreak of Covid-19. The master plan of the project was prepared in September 2019.
The Parliament building is being built by Tata
The tender to build the new Parliament building was awarded to the Tata Group. According to the official Central Vista website, the initial cost of the project was estimated at Rs 862 crore. But in 2021, the government’s reply in the Lok Sabha indicated that the estimated cost of the project would be Rs 971 crore. But the cost of the project has also increased. According to an NDTV report published in January 2022, the cost was over Rs 1,250 crore. Now the construction cost may increase again. The government claims that the Central Vista project has provided employment to over 10,000 skilled and unskilled workers, both on-site and off-site.
The design of the new Parliament and Rajpath redevelopment is by architect Bimal Patel. Bimal Patel’s HCP Designs has received a contract worth Rs 229 crore for the construction of the Parliament building. Bimal, a native of Gujarat, has three decades of experience in the field of architecture.
Along with the new Parliament House, the construction of the official residences of the Prime Minister and the Vice President, 10 buildings of the Common Central Secretariat, facilities for security personnel etc. are also under the Central Vista project. The official website indicates that the projects will be completed in phases till 2026.
The existing Parliament building was built to seat 300 members. Initially there was no air conditioning system, no audio system, no telephone line, no fire fighting system. Later, the building was renovated to include all this, but questions about the safety of the building were raised on many occasions. It was also difficult for MPs to have no offices within the Parliament House. The explanation of the government is that there is no other option but to rebuild the nearly 100-year-old building.
