In a major relief for the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court cleared the redevelopment plan for Central Vista with a 2:1 majority on Tuesday, although with riders.
The bench held that there were "no infirmities in clearances given, change in land use and the environmental clearances". However, it imposed some riders like clearance from heritage conservation committee. A bench comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna said the heritage conservation committee's approval is needed before construction begins and directed that the project proponents to get that approval.
On December 10, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone for the new Parliament building. The construction is expected to cost around Rs 971 crore and the common Central Secretariat is likely to be built by 2024.
THE NEW BUILDING
In the new Parliament building, the Lok Sabha chamber will have a seating capacity for 888 members. The Rajya Sabha will have the capacity of 384 seats. The national emblem will crown the new parliament, the ceiling of which will have fresco paintings and carpets with traditional designs. Interior walls will have shlokas emblazoned to retain some of the features of the existing parliament.
The building will be equipped with modern audio-visual communication systems and will have, offices of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Lok Sabha Secretariat and Rajya Sabha Secretariats, as well as dining facilities, committee rooms and museums and exhibitions hall. The central courtyard will comprise an open-air meeting space for MPs and also a cafe.
(With inputs from IANS)
