New Parliament building: First look, dates, total cost and other details you need to know

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced on Saturday (December 5) that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for the new Parliament building on December 10. Birla made the announcement after formally inviting prime minister for the event. 

The new Parliament building is a part of the Central Vista redevelopment project. The new building will cover an area of 64,500 sq metres and will replace the current 93-year-old Parliament House, which was built by British.

“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 fulfilment of the dreams of 130 crore people,” Speaker Om Birla noted.

Here are some details about the new Parliament building:

# Tata Projects Ltd has bagged the project of building the new Parliament building.

# The design has been prepared by HCP Design, Planning and Management Pvt Ltd.

# The construction of the building will start after PM Modi will do a bhoomi pujan at 1 pm on December 10. 

# It is expected that the project would be completed by 2022.

# The total cost is estimated at Rs 971 crore.

# The building will have six entrances: one for the President and Prime Minister; one for the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, and MPs; a ceremonial entrance in general; another entrance for MPs; and two public entrances.

# The new Parliament complex will have four floors — lower ground, upper ground, first and second floors.

# Lok Sabha chamber will have 888 seats and it will cover an area of 1,145 square metre.

# Rajya Sabha chamber will have 384 seats and will be spread over 1,232 square metre area.

# The building will be earthquake-resistant.