New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the foundation stone for the new Parliament House. The foundation stone was laid after the poojas held in the presence of the Prime Minister. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, other Union Ministers and Members of Parliament were also present on the occasion.
The 64,500 sq m building will be constructed at a cost of Rs 971 crore. The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that construction work should not be allowed until the petitions opposing the project are settled. However, the court ruled that there was no impediment to the stone-laying ceremony and paperwork.
The contract for the new parliament building has been awarded to Tata Projects Limited. The new building will seat 888 members of the Lok Sabha and 384 members of the Rajya Sabha, as well as a library and rooms for various committees. A constitution hall and ample parking facilities will also be provided. State-of-the-art digital interfaces will be set up as a first step towards the goal of a paperless office. The present building will be preserved as an archeological site. Apart from the Parliament House, some other buildings will be constructed as part of the project.