Construction on the new parliament building will start in December and likely to be completed by October 2022, officials of the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry and the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) informed Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla during a review meeting on Friday.
In a statement, the Lok Sabha secretariat said Mr. Birla chaired a meeting regarding the project. Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri was also present.
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During the meeting, it was decided to set up a monitoring committee to look into the execution of the project, the statement said. The committee will include officials from the Lok Sabha Secretariat, the Ministry, the CPWD, the New Delhi Municipal Council and the architect of the project.
The officials briefed the Speaker about the progress of the pre-construction activities like shifting facilities from the plot designated for the new building. The existing Parliament House reception, security offices, power infrastructure and other facilities have to be shifted to make way for the new building adjacent to the existing Parliament.
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“The existing Parliament House building will be suitably retro-fitted to provide more functional spaces for parliamentary events, to ensure its usage along with the new building, the officers mentioned... Reviewing the various aspects and progress of the project, Mr. Birla stressed on the smooth coordination and resolving issues between various agencies involved on a regular basis. He emphasised that there should be no compromise in ensuring quality-control and timely completion of the work,” it said.
The new building would have offices for MPs, chambers of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, a Constitution Hall that will house an original copy of the Constitution, MPs lounge, library, six committee rooms, dining areas and parking space.
