PM Narendra Modi to lay foundation stone for new Parliament building on December 10

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for the new Parliament building and perform ‘Bhoomi Pujan’ on December 10. "On December 10, the Prime Minister will perform Bhumi Pujan for the new state-of-the-art Parliament building," Lok Sabha Speaker Birla said on Saturday.

“There will be approximately 888 seats for Lok Sabha members and more than 326 seats for Rajya Sabha members in the new building. Lok Sabha hall will be able to accommodate 1224 members simultaneously,” Speaker Om Birla said.

He added, “On the completion of the 75 years of India's independence, we will begin the session of both the Houses in the new Parliament building.’’ Last week, Birla along with other officials had taken a tour of the building to assess the site for the foundation laying ceremony.

The construction of the new Parliament building will begin this month.

The maximum capacity for the Lok Sabha chamber is expected to be 1272 seats for the joint sittings. Secretary-general Utpal Kumar Singh while taking charge of his new office informed that the agencies will try and finish the construction within less than two years so that the 75th year of Indian independence can be commemorated in the new Parliament.

The proposed built-up area of the new building is estimated to be 64500 square meters.

HCP Design, Planning and Management Private Limited has won the contract of building a new Central vista and Parliament building that will have four floors with separate access for the President, Prime Minister, Lok Sabha Speaker, Rajya Sabha chairperson, Members of Parliament, and public.

With construction expected to start this month and Parliament session expected next month, the secretariat stated that all measures have been taken after consultations with agencies to ensure there would be no air or noise pollution.

The new building will be equipped with digital interfaces to create a paperless office. Apart from the offices of MPs and ministries, the new building will have a Constitution hall to showcase the original Constitution.

The officials inform that big statues that adorn the space between the house and entry of Parliament will also get relocated as per the design.