Parliament House, New Delhi Explained

Parliament House
Native Name:Saṁsada Bhavana
Native Name Lang:iso-15919
Address:118, Rafi Marg, New Delhi, Delhi
Location Town: New Delhi
Location Country: India
Groundbreaking Date:1 October 2020
Completion Date:28 May 2023
Opened Date:19 September 2023
Client:Central Public Works Department
Owner:Government of India
Current Tenants:Parliament of India
Height:39.6 metres
Floor Count:4
Public Transit: Central Secretariat
Grounds Area:[1]
Architect:Bimal Patel
Architecture Firm:HCP Design, Planning and Management Pvt. Ltd.
Main Contractor:Tata Projects Ltd.
Seating Capacity:1,272
(Lok Sabha chamber: 888
Rajya Sabha chamber: 384)

Parliament House (ISO: Saṁsada Bhavana), 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.[2]

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 Enclave, Hyderabad House, Secretariat Building, Prime Minister's Office and residence, ministerial buildings and other administrative units of the Indian government.

The New Parliament House was first used for official business on 19 September 2023 during a Parliamentary Special Session.[3]

Background

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 was 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

In 2019, the Indian government launched the Central Vista Redevelopment Project, which included constructing 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]

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.[7] [8] The ceremony included an interfaith prayer service performed by religious leaders.[9] [10]

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.[11] 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.[12]

Description

The old parliament architecture built in 1927 was designed by the British architects Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker;[13] and it was largely influenced by Hindu Chausath Yogini Temple, Mitaoli.[14] [15]

The new complex has a hexagonal shape and it is built next to the existing complex and is almost equal in size to the former one.[16] [17] [18]

The design of this Parliament building resembles the Vijaya Temple of Vidisha.[19]

The building is designed to have a lifespan of more than 150 years.[20] It is designed to be earthquake resistant while incorporating architectural styles from different parts of India. The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha chambers have large seating capacities to accommodate more members in the future, resulting from India's growing population and consequent future delimitation exercises.

The 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 is able to house 1,272 members in case of a joint session. The rest of the building has four floors with offices for ministers and committee rooms.

The building has a built area of 20866m2 (including its open-sky area of 2000m2 for a banyan tree), which makes it 10% smaller in size than the existing old circular building of 22900m2 (diameter 170.7m (560feet)) including its open sky area of 6060m2, split into three sectors.[21]

The Parliament House has three entrances, named Jñāna Dvāra (knowledge gate), Śakti Dvāra (power gate), and Karma Dvāra (karma gate).[22] There are six guardian statues that man the three entrances, namely, Gaja, Ashwa, Garuda, Makara, Shaardoola, and Hamsa.[23]

A foucault pendulum is suspended from the ceiling of the central foyer. This pendulum, created by the National Council of Science Museums in Kolkata, is the largest of its kind in India, standing at a towering height of 22 meters and weighing an 36 kg. As it rotates on its axis, the pendulum almost reaches the floor, hanging from a skylight positioned at the top of the Constitution Hall. Its presence symbolizes the integration of India's concept with the vastness of the cosmos.[24]

The Lok Sabha chamber at the new building also houses the Sengol.[25]

The gallery Shilp Deergha (crafts gallery) was conceptualised with eight themes: Parv (festival), Swabalamban (self-reliance), Prakriti (nature), Ullas (joy), Gyan (wisdom), Samrasta (harmony), Astha (faith), and Yatra (journey). About 255 crafts were sourced from around 400 artisans from across the country.

Inauguration

On 28 May 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially inaugurated India's new parliament building. The ceremonies began in the morning, with Modi unveiling a plaque dedicating the building to the nation and addressing a gathering of lawmakers.[26] As part of the inauguration ceremony, following a Tamil Hindu tradition,[27] Adheenam priests handed over a gold-plated scepter, Sengol to PM Modi, who installed it near the chair of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha in the new Parliament building.[28] [29]

The opposition parties largely abstained from the event, expressing their preference for the president to open the building instead of the prime minister.[30]

During the inauguration, a 'Sarva Dharma Prarthana' (all-religious prayer) was performed in which religious leaders from Hinduism, Zoroastrian, Baha'i Faith, Judaism, Islam, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism were present.[31] [32]

Formal House proceedings in the newly inaugurated building commenced on the auspicious Ganesh Chaturthi day of 19 September 2023.

Boycott and criticism

Despite the boycott and criticism led by the Congress party of India, more than 300 members of Parliament attended the inauguration.[33] [34] At least 19 opposition parties boycotted the inauguration, highlighting their discontent with Modi's leadership.[35] They expressed concern that President Droupadi Murmu, the head of state and highest constitutional authority, was sidelined from the event.[36] Opposition parties accused the government of passing controversial legislation without adequate debate and criticized the "disqualification, suspension, and muting" of opposition lawmakers.[37] They argued that with the erosion of democratic values within the Parliament, the new building held little significance. Rahul Gandhi, a member of the Indian National Congress, 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.[38]

Diplomatic row

A mural that depicts a map of Maurya Empire, an undivided India in the new parliament caused a diplomatic row with neighbouring Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh. On 28 May 2023, India's parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi tweeted a photo of the mural with a sentence in Kannada, a translation of which says, "Resolve is clear – Akhand Bharat".[39] [40] The same day, Manoj Kotak, a BJP politician, also tweeted, "Akhand Bharat in (the) New Parliament. It represents our powerful and self reliant India".[41]

On 30 May 2023, former prime minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli criticised the action stating that "If a country like India that sees itself as an ancient and strong country and as a model of democracy puts Nepali territories in its map and hangs the map in Parliament, it cannot be called fair".[42] Baburam Bhattarai, former prime minister of Nepal, also criticised "The controversial mural of 'Akhand Bharat'" that according to him "has the potential of further aggravating the trust deficit already vitiating the bilateral relations between most of the immediate neighbours of India".[43]

On 1 June 2023, Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch expressed concern stating that "We are appalled by the statements made by some BJP politicians, including a union minister, linking the mural with 'Akhand Bharat'".[44]

On 6 June 2023, Bangladesh's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam stated that his government is in the process of seeking clarification from India regarding the map.[45]

On 8 June 2023, replying to concerns, India's foreign minister S. Jaishankar said, "The mural of undivided India shows the spread of the Ashoka empire and the idea of responsible and people-oriented governance". To Pakistan's criticism, he said that Pakistan cannot understand it because it does not have the power to understand and added that the neighbouring countries will understand the meaning of the mural.[46] Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson of India's Ministry of External Affairs had also previously clarified that the mural depicted the spread of the Mauryan period in Indian history.[47]

Incidents

See main article: 2023 Indian Parliament breach.

On 13 December 2023, the 22nd anniversary of the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, two intruders from the visitor's gallery entered the Lok Sabha chamber and opened smoke bombs. The proceedings in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned initially but were resumed after a while. Four people have been arrested in this matter. Speaker of the Lok Sabha Om Birla has initiated a probe into the matter. Members of parliament condemned this major security lapse and questioned the security arrangements in the premises. A meeting was organised later in the day by the speaker of the Lok Sabha with the members of parliament and a decision was made to ban the issuance of visitor passes.[48] [49] [50]

Timeline

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Parliament building India: All you need to know about Cost, Design, Plan and Architecture of New Parliament building | India News. The Times of India. 10 December 2020. 20 January 2022. 18 December 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201218052106/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/new-parliament-building-all-you-need-to-know/articleshow/79588951.cms. live.
  2. News: PTI . 2023-05-26 . New Parliament building will make every Indian proud, says PM Modi . en-IN . The Hindu . 2023-12-15 . 0971-751X.
  3. News: How the new Parliament building is readying for special session . 14 September 2023 . Firstpost . 12 September 2023 . en.
  4. News: Delhi may see a new Parliament building. https://web.archive.org/web/20120715063551/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-13/india/32662416_1_heritage-building-parliament-house-mantralaya-fire. dead. 15 July 2012. 13 December 2013. The Times of India. 13 July 2012.
  5. Web site: Firstpost . Speaker sets up panel to suggest new home for Parliament . Firstpost . 13 July 2012 . 15 August 2012 . 11 August 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120811003217/http://www.firstpost.com/india/speaker-sets-up-panel-to-suggest-new-home-for-parliament-377345.html . live .
  6. News: Srivastava . Ritesh . What is 'Central Vista' and why it is being opposed; Zee explains the controversial project . 6 June 2021 . Zee News . 13 May 2021 . en . 6 June 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210606205623/https://zeenews.india.com/india/what-is-central-vista-and-why-it-is-being-opposed-zee-explains-the-controversial-project-2361620.html . live .
  7. Web site: 1 October 2020. Groundwork for new Parliament Building Begins, To be completed in 22 Months. www.bloombergquint.com. 6 March 2021. 25 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201025204253/https://www.bloombergquint.com/politics/groundwork-for-new-parliament-building-begins-to-be-completed-in-22-months. live.
  8. News: Mathew. Liz. 6 December 2020. PM Modi to lay foundation stone for new Parliament building on December 10. The Indian Express. New Delhi. 6 December 2020. 6 December 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201206014717/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/pm-modi-to-lay-foundation-stone-for-new-parliament-building-on-december-10-7093362/. live.
  9. News: 10 December 2020 . 'Historic Day': PM Modi After Laying Foundation of New Parliament . en . TheQuint . live . 10 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201210035754/https://www.thequint.com/news/breaking-news/new-parliament-building-central-vista-groundbreaking-foundation-stone-laying-ceremony-live-updates . 10 December 2020.
  10. Web site: Religious leaders perform 'Sarva Dharma Prarthana' at foundation stone laying ceremony of new Parliament building . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210130024253/https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/religious-leaders-perform-sarva-dharma-prarthana-at-foundation-stone-laying-ceremony-of-new-parliament-building20201210140451/ . 30 January 2021 . 6 March 2021 . ANI News . en.
  11. News: 7 December 2020. Supreme Court allows foundation-laying ceremony for new Parliament building. The Hindu. 8 December 2020. 7 December 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201207235729/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/supreme-court-allows-foundation-laying-ceremony-for-new-parliament-building/article33268303.ece. live.
  12. News: 5 January 2021. Supreme Court clears redevelopment plan for Central Vista project. en. Hindustan Times. 5 January 2021. 5 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210105051656/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/supreme-court-clears-redevelopment-plan-for-central-vista-project/story-SZgVS5fOQrSQxTRT7bQmmO.html. live.
  13. Web site: Ghosal . Jayanta . Sansad Bhavan to be revamped; all MPs to get separate offices . India TV . 26 October 2020 . 27 September 2019.
  14. News: Dey . Monidipa . Temples which inspired design of Indian Parliament: Madhya Pradesh's Chausath Yogini Mandir . 26 October 2020 . Financial Express (India) . 11 May 2019.
  15. News: Government should have confidence in this House . 9 August 2012 . . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180320164842/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/government-should-have-confidence-in-this-house/article3744277.ece. 20 March 2018.
  16. News: Nidhi Sharma. 16 January 2020. New parliament plan: Twin-sharing seat, many aisles. 1 February 2020. 11 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200911143912/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/new-parliament-plan-twin-sharing-seat-many-aisles/articleshow/73287116.cms. live.
  17. News: Arnab Dutta. 16 January 2020. New PM house, PMO & Parliament before 2024; ministries along central vista. 1 February 2020. 1 February 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200201080311/https://wap.business-standard.com/article-amp/economy-policy/new-pm-house-pmo-parliament-before-2024-ministries-along-central-vista-120011600060_1.html. live.
  18. News: Anisha Dutta. 31 January 2020. New Parliament complex may seat 1,350 members. 1 February 2020. 31 January 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200131165703/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/new-parliament-complex-may-seat-1-350-members/story-KThUBY2psc9rBVjc5BvxvN.html. live.
  19. Web site: 16 December 2020 . Design of new Parliament House found from this temple . 14 July 2023 . Times Of India . English.
  20. News: Dash. Dipak K. 11 December 2020. Parliament building will last 150 years, its Houses can seat More than 2 Times more MPs at fullest. The Times of India. 11 December 2020. 10 December 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201210230448/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/new-parliament-building-will-last-150-yrs-its-houses-can-seat-150-more-mps/articleshow/79671363.cms. live.
  21. News: 24 May 2023 . Here's how the Parliament building differs from the old one. en-GB . The Indian Express . 25 May 2023.
  22. Web site: 25 May 2023 . New Parliament Building May Not Be Called Parliament House, May Get A New Name . 1 June 2023 . TimesNow . en.
  23. News: 18 June 2023 . The assembling of new Parliament building . en-IN . The Hindu . 18 June 2023 . 0971-751X.
  24. Web site: 29 May 2023 . What is a Foucault's Pendulum, hanging in the new Parliament building . 11 June 2023 . The Indian Express . en.
  25. Web site: B. A. Vasanth . Pon . Sengol: Evidence thin on government's claims about the sceptre . The Hindu.
  26. Web site: 24 May 2023 . At the inauguration of the new Parliament House, PM Modi will establish the historical and sacred "Sengol" in the Parliament House. . 25 May 2023 . pib.gov.in . PIB Delhi . en.
  27. Web site: 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 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230524105632/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/new-parliament-building-what-is-sengol-a-historic-sceptre-to-be-intalled-101684915055857.html . 24 May 2023 . 25 May 2023 . www.hindustantimes.com . Hindustan Times . en.
  28. Web site: 28 May 2023 . Historic 'Sengol' installed in new Parliament building by PM Modi .
  29. Web site: Poulomi Saha . 24 May 2023 . Sacred ritual steeped in Tamil culture: How PM Modi will install Sengol in new Parliament building . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230524154522/https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/sengol-ceremony-new-parliament-building-sacred-ritual-tamil-culture-pm-modi-2383774-2023-05-24 . 24 May 2023 . 25 May 2023 . www.indiatoday.in . India Today . en . New Delhi.
  30. News: 28 May 2023 . New parliament: PM Modi inaugurates building amid opposition boycott . en-GB . BBC News . 29 May 2023 . 28 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230528224731/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-65718127 . live .
  31. Web site: Religious leaders perform 'Sarva Dharma Prarthana' at new Parliament building, say all should work for country's growth. 28 May 2023. Firstpost.
  32. Web site: New Parliament building inauguration: 'Sarva-Dharma Prarthana' ceremony held. Business Insider.
  33. Web site: 28 May 2023. How many parties attending new Parliament's inauguration, how many absent? What numbers say. 3 June 2023. Hindustan Times. en.
  34. Web site: 27 May 2023. New Parliament inauguration: Who's attending, who's not — here's the full list. 3 June 2023. The Indian Express. en.
  35. News: Jain. Rupam. 24 May 2023. Opposition parties to boycott new parliament inauguration by India's Modi. en. Reuters. 1 June 2023.
  36. Web site: 28 May 2023. Modi opponents boycott opening of new Indian Parliament; PM says it breaks with colonial past. 1 June 2023. AP NEWS. en.
  37. News: 25 May 2023. New parliament building: India opposition boycott casts shadow on inauguration. en-GB. BBC News. 1 June 2023.
  38. News: 28 May 2023 . PM treating inauguration of new Parliament building as coronation: Rahul Gandhi . en-IN . The Hindu . 1 June 2023 . 0971-751X.
  39. News: Mural of 'undivided India' in India's new parliament building sparks diplomatic row. The Independent. 7 June 2023. en.
  40. News: Why a map in India's new parliament has riled its neighbours . Al Jazeera. 7 June 2023. en.
  41. News: Mogul . Rhea . Why a map in India's new Parliament is making its neighbors nervous . CNN . 14 June 2023 . en.
  42. News: Mural in new Parliament with Akhand Bharat overtones upsets Nepal's politicians. Hindustan Times. 31 May 2023. en.
  43. News: Row in Nepal over Akhand Bharat mural in India's new Parliament. The Hindu. 1 June 2023. en-IN.
  44. News: Khan. Iftikhar A.. BJP's 'Akhand Bharat' narrative angers Islamabad. DAWN. 2 June 2023. en.
  45. News: Bangladesh government seeking clarification from MEA on 'Akhand Bharat' map in new Parliament building . The Hindu. 6 June 2023. en-IN.
  46. News: S Jaishankar on row over Akhand Bharat mural in new Parliament. Business Today. 9 June 2023. en-IN.
  47. News: Bangladesh government seeking clarification from MEA on 'Akhand Bharat' map in new Parliament building. The Hindu. 6 June 2023. en-IN.
  48. News: 2023-12-13 . Parliament Security Lapse: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla calls all-party meet, bans visitors passes . The Economic Times . 2023-12-13 . 0013-0389.
  49. Web site: Huge Parliament Security Breach: 4 People, 2 Incidents, Smoke In Lok Sabha . 2023-12-13 . NDTV.com.
  50. Web site: 2023-12-13 . Parliament Winter Session 2023 Live Updates: After security breach in Parliament, Lok Sabha resumes; matter being probed, says Speaker . 2023-12-13 . The Indian Express . en.
  51. Web site: "Rs 20,000 crore on Central Vista amid pandemic?" Cente dispels myths . NDTV . 6 June 2021 . 7 June 2021 . 7 June 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210607054837/https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/central-vista-project-rs-20-000-crore-on-central-vista-amid-pandemic-cente-dispels-myths-2457518 . live .
  52. News: National emblem: India rejects criticism over 'snarling' lion statue . 14 July 2022 . BBC News . 13 July 2022 . 14 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220714032725/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-62131457 . live .
  53. News: Holland . Oscar . Mitra . Esha . New giant lion statue on Indian parliament building sparks political spat . 14 July 2022 . CNN . 13 July 2022 . en . 14 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220714030010/https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/india-national-emblem-lions-statue-parliament/index.html . live .
  54. News: PTI . 28 August 2022 . Main structure of new Parliament completed, finishing work in progress: Tata Projects CEO . en-IN . The Hindu . 28 August 2022 . 0971-751X . 28 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220828155808/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/main-structure-of-new-parliament-completed-finishing-work-in-progress-tata-projects-ceo/article65821579.ece . live .
  55. News: Parliament special session to be held from Sept 18-22, all-party meet on Sept 17; here's what you need to know . Business Today . 14 September 2023 . en.

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