PM Narendra Modi to lay foundation of new Parliament building today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay foundation stone of the new Parliament building in New Delhi today. The new structure will be constructed close to the existing building under the Central Vista redevelopment project.

The program that would be attended by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh, union ministers Pralhad Joshi and Hardeep Singh Puri, and 200 dignitaries, including Members of Parliament and ambassadors will attend the function. Some chief ministers and governors will also attend the event virtually.

The event will begin at 12:55 pm and the foundation stone will be laid at 1 pm, officials said, adding that a ‘Sarva Dharma Prarthana’ (inter-faith prayer) will be held at 1.30 pm.

The prime minister will deliver his address on the occasion at 2.15 pm.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had earlier said, “We started the journey of independent India in the old building, and when we complete 75 years, we will have the session of both Houses in the new Parliament building… It will not be a building of bricks and stones, it will be the fulfillment of the dreams of 130 crore people as a prime example of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.”

The proposed Parliament building for the Central Vista project will house 888 members in the Lok Sabha Chamber, while during Joint Sessions the capacity can be increased to 1224 Members.

The project is estimated to cost around Rs 971 crore. It is expected to be completed in August 2022 when the country will celebrate its 75th Independence Day. Apart from the construction of a new parliament building, the project also includes revamping of a 3-km-long stretch from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate and building of a common central secretariat.