New Parliament House, New Delhi

Coordinates: 28°37′02″N 77°12′36″E / 28.61722°N 77.21000°E / 28.61722; 77.21000
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The Parliament House
Sansad Bhavan
Map
General information
TypeParliament building
Address118, Rafi Marg, New Delhi, Delhi
Town or cityNew Delhi
Country India
Coordinates28°37′02″N 77°12′36″E / 28.61722°N 77.21000°E / 28.61722; 77.21000
Current tenantsParliament of India
Groundbreaking1 October 2020
Completed28 May 2023
Cost₹862 crore (US$110 million)
ClientCentral Public Works Department
OwnerGovernment of India
Height39.6 metres
Technical details
Floor count4[1]
Grounds65,000 m2 (700,000 sq ft)[2]
Design and construction
Architect(s)Bimal Patel
Architecture firmHCP Design, Planning and Management Pvt. Ltd.
Main contractorTata Projects Ltd.
Other information
Seating capacity1,272
(Lok Sabha chamber: 888
Rajya Sabha chamber: 384)
Public transit access
Website
sansad.in

The Parliament House (IAST: Sansad Bhavan) in New Delhi is the seat of the Parliament of India. It houses the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha which are lower and upper houses respectively in India's bicameral parliament.

As part of India's Central Vista Redevelopment Project, a new parliament building was constructed in New Delhi. It was inaugurated on 28 May 2023 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.[3]

It is located on Rafi Marg which crosses the Central Vista and is surrounded by the Old Parliament House, Vijay Chowk, India Gate, National War Memorial, Vice President's House, Hyderabad House, Secretariat Building, Prime Minister's Office and residence, ministerial buildings and other administrative units of the Indian government.

Background[edit]

Proposals for a new parliament building to replace the existing complex emerged in the early 2010s due to stability concerns with the older structure.[4] A committee to suggest several alternatives to the current building had been set up by the then-Speaker Meira Kumar in 2012. The original building, a 93-year-old structure, suffered from inadequate space for house members and their staff, and design changes that put its structural stability at risk as it wasn't earthquake-proof. Despite this, the building is important to India's national heritage, and plans are in place to protect the structure.[5]

Commencement[edit]

In 2019, the Indian government launched the Central Vista Redevelopment Project, which included the construction of a new parliament building along with other projects in New Delhi, including revamping Kartavya Path, construction of a new residence for the vice president, a new office and residence for the prime minister and combining all ministerial buildings in a single central secretariat.[6][7]

The groundbreaking ceremony for the construction was held in October 2020, and the foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on 10 December 2020.[8][9] The ceremony included an interfaith prayer service, performed by religious leaders.[10][11]Religious leaders from Judaism, Baháʼí Faith, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, Islam, Vajrayana Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and Sanatana Dharma were present and recited the prayers according to their religious ritual.[12]

Although the laying of the foundation stone was allowed, a bench led by Justice A. M. Khanwilkar of the Supreme Court of India put a hold on the Central Vista Redevelopment Project until the resolution of pleas received against the project in the court.[13] The project was cleared in a majority judgment of the Supreme Court in January 2021, with riders for environmental concerns, and work on the building was begun.[14]

Description[edit]

The old parliament architecture built in 1927 was entirely influenced by Hindu Yogini Temple at Mitaoli.[15][16] which was designed by the British architects Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker in 1912-1913, and completed in 1927.[17]

According to Bimal Patel, the architect in charge of the redesign of Central Vista, the new complex will have a hexagonal shape. It will be built next to the existing complex and will be almost equal to the former one.[18][19][20][needs update]

The building is designed to have a lifespan of more than 150 years.[1] It is designed to be earthquake resistant and architectural styles from different parts of India are incorporated in it.[9] The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha chambers have large seating capacities to accommodate more members than are currently present, since the number of MPs may increase with India's growing population and consequent future delimitation.[9]

the Lok Sabha chamber in the New Parliament building

The new complex has 888 seats in the Lok Sabha chamber and 384 seats in the Rajya Sabha chamber. Unlike the old parliament building, it does not have a central hall. The Lok Sabha chamber able to house 1,272 members in case of a joint session.[9] The rest of the building has four floors with offices for ministers and committee rooms.[1]

The building has a built area of 20,866 square metres (224,600 sq ft) (including its open-sky area of 2,000 square metres (22,000 sq ft) for a banyan tree), which makes it 10% smaller in size than the existing old circular building of 22,900 square metres (246,000 sq ft) (diameter 170.7 metres (560 ft)) including its open sky area of 6,060 square metres (65,200 sq ft), split into three sectors.[21]

The Parliament House has 3 entrances, named Gyan Dwar (knowledge gate), Shakti Dwar (power gate), and Karma Dwar (karma gate).[22]

Sengol - An historic sceptre installed in Indian Parliament

At the inauguration of the New Parliament House, Prime Minister Narendra Modi installed the Sengol near the chair of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha in the new Parliament building following a Tamil tradition.[23][24][25][26][27]

The ceremony included a Sarva Dharma (all faith)[28] prayer service, performed by religious leaders.[10][29]Religious leaders from Judaism, Baháʼí Faith, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, Islam, Vajrayana Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and Hinduism were present and recited the prayers according to their religious ritual.[30]

The Lok Sabha chamber at the new building also houses a Chola dynasty-era inspired Sengol, a sceptre presented by Governor-General Lord Mountbatten, to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on the eve of the Indian independence.[31][32]

Inauguration[edit]

On 28 May 2023, amid protests and boycotts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially inaugurated India's new parliament building. The ceremonies began in the morning, with Mr. Modi unveiling a plaque dedicating the building to the nation and addressing a gathering of lawmakers. As part of the inauguration, a historically significant gold sceptre called the sengol was installed in the new parliament building. The opposition parties largely abstained from the event, expressing their preference for the president to open the building instead of Mr. Modi.[33]

Controversies[edit]

Protests[edit]

According to NY Times, during the inauguration of the new Indian Parliament marked with Hindu rituals, the golden sceptre, sengol emerged as a key object encapsulating the meaning of the new Parliament - "to shed not just the remnants of India’s colonial past, but also increasingly to replace the secular governance that followed it".[34] Meanwhile, several political analysts noted that Sengol is a symbol appropriate only for a monarchy, not for a democratic parliament.[35]

Notably, a group of prominent wrestlers was detained during the ceremony as they attempted to protest against a BJP MP due to the alleged sexual harrassment in the past near the new parliament. Some wrestlers attempted to march towards the venue. However, their progress was halted by a substantial police presence. Videos captured protesters scaling barricades and being escorted away by authorities. The police maintained that the detained wrestlers had failed to comply with their instructions and that those who had attempted to breach the barricades were apprehended. Furthermore, the police dismantled the protesters' encampment, removing tents and other belongings. The handling of the march has faced criticism from various opposition politicians. In addition, a group of farmers endeavored to enter the city in support of the wrestlers.[36]

Inauguration Date[edit]

One of the key points of contention revolves around the decision to hold the event on the birth anniversary of VD Savarkar, a Hindu nationalist ideologue. Opposition parties view Savarkar as a divisive figure, while the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) celebrates him as a hero. Savarkar's past statements and actions have drawn criticism for his support of Nazi Germany and Italy's Fascism, as well as his anti-Semitic views[37]. These controversies have reignited debates about the appropriateness of honoring Savarkar and his ideology within the Indian political landscape.

Boycott and Criticism[edit]

At least 19 opposition parties boycotted the inauguration, highlighting their discontent with Modi's leadership.[38] They expressed concern that President Droupadi Murmu, the head of state and highest constitutional authority, was sidelined from the event.[39] Opposition parties accused the government of passing controversial legislation without adequate debate and criticized the "disqualification, suspension, and muting" of opposition lawmakers.[40] They argued that with the erosion of democratic values within the Parliament, the new building held little significance. Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Congress party, accused Modi of treating the ceremony as a coronation, emphasizing the need for parliamentary proceedings to remain focused on representing the people rather than showcasing personal grandeur.[41]

Timeline of construction[edit]

  • September 2019: The master plan for 'Redevelopment of Central Vista Avenue' is conceived by the Government of India.[42]
  • September 2020: Tata Projects Ltd won the contract for the construction of the new parliament building for ₹862 crores by the CPWD.
  • October 2020: Ahmedabad-based HCP Design Planning and Management Pvt Ltd, wins the architectural consultancy work.
  • 10 December 2020: The foundation stone of the new parliament building is laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 10 December 2020.[8][10]
  • 11 July 2022: Prime Minister Modi unveils the statue of national emblem on top of the new Parliament building.[43][44]
  • 28 August 2022: The main structure of the new Parliament is completed[45]
  • 20 May 2023: Construction is fully completed.[citation needed]
  • 28 May 2023: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Parliament Building.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Dash, Dipak K (11 December 2020). "New Parliament building will last 150 years, its Houses can seat More than 2 Times more MPs at fullest". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 11 December 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  2. ^ "New Parliament building India: All you need to know about Cost, Design, Plan and Architecture of New Parliament building | India News - Times of India". The Times of India. 10 December 2020. Archived from the original on 21 December 2020. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  3. ^ "New Parliament will make every Indian proud, says PM". The Indian express.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ "Delhi may see a new Parliament building". The Times of India. 13 July 2012. Archived from the original on 15 July 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  5. ^ Firstpost (13 July 2012). "Speaker sets up panel to suggest new home for Parliament". Firstpost. Archived from the original on 11 August 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  6. ^ Srivastava, Ritesh (13 May 2021). "What is 'Central Vista' and why it is being opposed; Zee explains the controversial project". Zee News. Archived from the original on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  7. ^ "Central Vista Redevelopment Project". Drishti IAS. 23 April 2020. Archived from the original on 4 August 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  8. ^ a b "Groundwork for new Parliament Building Begins, To be completed in 22 Months". 1 October 2020. Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2021 – via www.bloombergquint.com.
  9. ^ a b c d Mathew, Liz (6 December 2020). "PM Modi to lay foundation stone for new Parliament building on December 10". The Indian Express. New Delhi. Archived from the original on 6 December 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  10. ^ a b c "'Historic Day': PM Modi After Laying Foundation of New Parliament". TheQuint. 10 December 2020. Archived from the original on 10 December 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  11. ^ "Religious leaders perform 'Sarva Dharma Prarthana' at foundation stone laying ceremony of new Parliament building". ANI News. Archived from the original on 30 January 2021. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  12. ^ https://statetimes.in/new-parliament-gets-timely-message-of-all-faith-meet/
  13. ^ "Supreme Court allows foundation-laying ceremony for new Parliament building". The Hindu. 7 December 2020. Archived from the original on 7 December 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  14. ^ "Supreme Court clears redevelopment plan for Central Vista project". Hindustan Times. 5 January 2021. Archived from the original on 5 January 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  15. ^ Dey, Monidipa (11 May 2019). "Temples which inspired design of Indian Parliament: Madhya Pradesh's Chausath Yogini Mandir". Financial Express (India). Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  16. ^ "Government should have confidence in this House". The Hindu. 9 August 2012. Archived from the original on 20 March 2018.
  17. ^ Ghosal, Jayanta (27 September 2019). "Sansad Bhavan to be revamped; all MPs to get separate offices". India TV. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  18. ^ Nidhi Sharma (16 January 2020). "New parliament plan: Twin-sharing seat, many aisles". Archived from the original on 11 September 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  19. ^ Arnab Dutta (16 January 2020). "New PM house, PMO & Parliament before 2024; ministries along central vista". Archived from the original on 1 February 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  20. ^ Anisha Dutta (31 January 2020). "New Parliament complex may seat 1,350 members". Archived from the original on 31 January 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  21. ^ "Here's how the new Parliament building differs from the existing one". The Indian Express. 24 May 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  22. ^ https://www.timesnownews.com/india/new-parliament-building-may-not-be-called-parliament-house-may-get-a-new-name-article-100487418
  23. ^ "Historic 'Sengol' installed in new Parliament building by PM Modi". 28 May 2023.
  24. ^ Poulomi Saha (24 May 2023). "Sacred ritual steeped in Tamil culture: How PM Modi will install Sengol in new Parliament building". www.indiatoday.in. New Delhi: India Today. Archived from the original on 24 May 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  25. ^ Cite error: The named reference indianexpress1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  26. ^ Lingamgunta Nirmitha Rao (24 May 2023). "'Sengol' (sceptre) to be installed by PM Modi in new Parliament on May 28: All you need to know". www.hindustantimes.com. Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 24 May 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  27. ^ "At the inauguration of the new Parliament House, PM Modi will establish the historical and sacred "Sengol" in the Parliament House". pib.gov.in. PIB Delhi. 24 May 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  28. ^ https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/new-parliament-building-inauguration-sarva-dharma-prarthana-ceremony-held/articleshow/100563171.cms
  29. ^ "Religious leaders perform 'Sarva Dharma Prarthana' at foundation stone laying ceremony of new Parliament building". ANI News. Archived from the original on 30 January 2021. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  30. ^ https://statetimes.in/new-parliament-gets-timely-message-of-all-faith-meet/
  31. ^ B. A. Vasanth, Pon. "Sengol: Evidence thin on government's claims about the sceptre". The Hindu.
  32. ^ "Sengol : Do you know its rich history & significance ?". www.hamaribaat.com. 25 May 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  33. ^ "New parliament: PM Modi inaugurates building amid opposition boycott". BBC News. 28 May 2023. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  34. ^ "Modi Opens India's New Parliament Building as Opposition Boycotts". The New York Times. 28 May 2023. Archived from the original on 29 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  35. ^ "The Sengol Is a Symbol of 'Divine Right' to Power". The Wire. 28 May 2023. Archived from the original on 29 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  36. ^ "Indian Olympic wrestlers detained as latest protest escalates". BBC News. 28 May 2023. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  37. ^ "Hindutva's Foreign Tie-Up in the 1930s: Archival Evidence". jstor. 22–28 January 2000.
  38. ^ "Opposition parties to boycott new parliament inauguration by India's Modi".
  39. ^ "Modi opponents boycott opening of new Indian Parliament; PM says it breaks with colonial past".
  40. ^ "New parliament building: India opposition boycott casts shadow on inauguration".
  41. ^ "PM treating inauguration of new Parliament building as coronation: Rahul Gandhi".
  42. ^ ""Rs 20,000 crore on Central Vista amid pandemic?" Cente dispels myths". NDTV. 6 June 2021. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  43. ^ "National emblem: India rejects criticism over 'snarling' lion statue". BBC News. 13 July 2022. Archived from the original on 14 July 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  44. ^ Holland, Oscar; Mitra, Esha (13 July 2022). "New giant lion statue on Indian parliament building sparks political spat". CNN. Archived from the original on 14 July 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  45. ^ PTI (28 August 2022). "Main structure of new Parliament completed, finishing work in progress: Tata Projects CEO". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 28 August 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
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