Explained: Why there was need for a new Parliament building

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate India's new Parliament building on Sunday in a grand ceremony which will be attended by a host of political leaders.
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Congress and several other opposition parties are boycotting the event, saying that it should be the President not Prime Minister who should inaugurate the building.
However, leaders of both the ruling BJP and various opposition parties were united in praising the magnificent new structure, pictures of which were released by the government on Friday.
Politics aside, the need for a new Parliament building had been felt for long.
The current Parliament building was designed in the 1920s by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker as a ‘Council House’.
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The design was never suitable to accommodate a bicameral legislature, i.e. a legislature with two houses: Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
The old Parliament building can accommodate around 552 members. However, the government said that it won't be able to accomodate new members who may be added once the delimition exercise is conducted post 2026.
The government has said a new Parliament building was badly needed as the existing structure "is highly stressed" for a number of reasons including capacity, infrastructure, technology and safety.
An inside view of the newly constructed Rajya Sabha of new Parliament building
Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha in 2020, Union housing and urban affairs minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that the existing building was showing signs of distress and over utilisation from parliamentary activities over many years.
He added that the present building does not have any space to house any additional member.
On the other hand, the new, triangular-shaped parliament complex has enough space to house parliamentary affairs ministry, committee rooms, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariats.
It has been built over a massive area of about 65,000 square metres.
The building, which is just across from the old Parliament, will have a Central Constitution Hall and Gallery, which will include artefacts showcasing India’s heritage and culture.
Besides modern technology, the new Parliament has a total of 1,272 seats in two chambers, nearly 500 more than the old building, and at least three times as much space.
The new Lok Sabha can now seat 888 members while the Rajya Sabha can accomodate 384 members.
Among other facilities, the members will be seated in twos and each of them will have an individual desk. Moreover, no MP will have to cross another to get to the aisle.
An inside view of the newly constructed Lok Sabha of new Parliament building
Each minister will have an individual office and the MPs’ lounge will serve as a central courtyard, which will have an open meeting space for all legislators.
Moreover, the new building also features four storeys and halls themed according to the national symbols of the peacock, lotus and banyan tree, and murals, sculptures and art from across the country capturing 5,000 years of Indian civilisation, said an architect directly involved in the project.
(With inputs from agencies)