New Delhi— With 76 years of independence behind us, our country stands witness to a remarkable milestone in its democratic journey.
Amidst the Central Vista project, a grand endeavor spanning 64,500 square meters, a new Parliament has emerged, ready to serve as a beacon of progress and a testament to our nation's unwavering commitment to democracy. Gyan, Shakti and Karma are the names given to the three doors that lead one inside the magnificent building.
This awe-inspiring architectural marvel, completed in a mere 898 days, not only embodies our aspirations but also sets the stage for a transformative future.
The significance of this new building transcends its physical dimensions and cost. Designed with careful consideration, the triangular shape of the building optimizes space utilization, ensuring a functional and conducive environment for our elected representatives to deliberate upon the nation's affairs.
This remarkable edifice also houses a constitution hall, a hallowed space that pays homage to the guiding principles that have shaped our country's governance.
The renovation of the old Parliament does not go in vain. The construction material salvaged from its transformation will find purpose at the C&D Best Treatment Plant, minimizing waste and embracing sustainable practices. Plans are also underway to establish a national museum within the old Parliament, preserving our rich history and heritage for generations to come.
Embracing the advancements of the digital age, a new food delivery app has been introduced, empowering our esteemed Members of Parliament (MPs) to order meals from the Parliament canteen, no matter their location within the precincts. This innovative approach ensures convenience and efficiency, enabling our lawmakers to dedicate their time and energy to the critical matters at hand.
The luxurious hand-knotted carpets displayed in India's new Parliament were painstakingly woven over the course of "10 lakh man-hours" by as many as 900 artisans from Uttar Pradesh. The structure has magnificent designs of the national bird peacock and national flower lotus on the carpets of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
The Parliament floor was built using a variety of materials, including red and white sandstone from Rajasthan's Sarmathura and teak wood from Nagpur, all in keeping with the "Made in India" policy. In addition, stone sculptures from Rajasthan and carpets from Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh have been used.
The flooring has also been constructed using white marble from Ambaji in Rajasthan and red granite from Lakha near Ajmer.
Mutha Industries of Bodhjungnagar, Tripura, provided the epitome of bamboo wood flooring.
Weavers created more than 150 carpets each for Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha before sewing them together into a single carpet in the shape of a semi-circle to match the architecture of each of the Houses, which span 35,000 square feet of space, according to Obeetee Carpets, the more than 100-year-old Indian company in charge of the project.
While the Rajya Sabha's color scheme was primarily influenced by the color kokum red, the Lok Sabha's design was influenced by Indian agave green and Indian peacock plumes.
In the midst of the epidemic in 2020, the project construction was started. By September 2021, the weaving process had begun; it was completed by May 2022; and by November 2022, the installation procedure had begun. It took around seven months to create each carpet, which has a high density of 120 knots per square inch.
The new Parliament building is three times larger than the previous one, with a 64,500 square kilometer area and room for 888 people.
The new parliament building is triangular in shape as opposed to the old structure's circular shape. In the previous structure, the Lok Sabha had 543 seats.
According to sources, the new Lok Sabha edifice can accommodate 888 people simultaneously.
The Rajya Sabha had 250 seats in the previous parliament. Additionally, here, there will be 384 Rajya Sabha seats in the new structure. Rajya Sabha chamber's design has been prepared on the theme of the national flower Lotus.
The first parliament building's construction was finished in 1927. It was becoming more and clearer that the nearly century-old building couldn't handle the needs of the government today. Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha voted resolutions calling for the construction of a new Parliament building in light of this.
On December 10, 2020, Prime Minister Modi laid the cornerstone of the new structure.
The new structure, which is being built by Tata Projects, will rise in front of the current Parliament House, which was created almost a century ago for a price of Rs 83 lakh at the time and will eventually be converted into a museum.
On Sunday morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi installed the revered Sengol in the Lok Sabha chamber and formally inaugurated the new Parliament building.
Earlier, during his announcement, Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized the crucial role of Sengol in Indian culture, particularly Tamil culture. He emphasized the significance of its past, going all the way back to the Chola empire.
The "Sengol," a historical scepter from Tamil Nadu, was given to Jawaharlal Nehru as a symbol of the handover of power from the British and has since been maintained in an Allahabad Museum.
The structure is intended to last for more than 150 years.
It is built to withstand earthquakes and will feature many Indian architectural designs.
Large seating capacities are planned for both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha chambers, allowing more members to be added.
There will be 384 Rajya Sabha seats and 888 Lok Sabha seats combined in the new complex.
There won't be a central hall in the new parliament building.
The structure will contain committee rooms and ministerial offices on its four stories.
To provide lawmakers access to the new Parliament building, the Lok Sabha Secretariat is creating new identity cards.
The MPs are receiving training on the audiovisual equipment that will be utilized in the new structure.
A recent addition is Constitutional Hall.
On Sunday, the Left parties attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling the nation's citizens "subjects ('praja')" and equating his inauguration of the new parliament building with the coronation of a monarch.
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