INDIA'S NEW PARLIAMENT BUILDING: CENTRAL VISTA PROJECT
INDIA'S NEW PARLIAMENT BUILDING: CENTRAL VISTA PROJECT
In the 75th year of Independence, India has a new Parliament building, built by Indians, and embodies the culture, pride and spirit of the entire nation. Here’s what to know about the new building. The official website of the Central Vista project makes the point that the existing Parliament House, which was commissioned in 1927, is almost a century old Heritage Grade-I building that has seen a massive increase in parliamentary activities and users over the decades. The construction of the new building, designed by Architect Bimal Patel, began in 2019.
WHAT IS THE NEED FOR NEW PARLIAMENT BUILDING?
Narrow Seating Space for MPs: The old building was never designed to accommodate a bicameral legislature for a full-fledged democracy. The number of Lok Sabha seats is likely to increase significantly from the current 545 after 2026, when the freeze on the total number of seats lifts.
Distressed Infrastructure: The addition of services like water supply and sewer lines, air-conditioning, firefighting equipment, CCTV cameras, etc., have led to seepage of water at several places and impacted the aesthetics of the building. Fire safety is a major concern at the building, the official site says.
Obsolete Communication Structures: Communications infrastructure and technology was antiquated in the old Parliament, and the acoustics of all the halls need improvement.
Safety Concerns: The old Parliament building was built when Delhi was in Seismic Zone-II; currently it is in Seismic Zone-V. This raises structural safety concerns.
WHAT ARE THE KEY POINTS RELATED TO THE NEW PARLIAMENT?
Triangular Shape: The new building is triangular in shape, mostly because the plot of land that it is built on is a triangle. The new building's design is influenced by sacred geometry found in various religions. Its design and materials are meant to complement the old Parliament, with the two buildings expected to function as one complex.
Environment Friendly: Built using green construction techniques, the new building is supposed to reduce electricity consumption by 30%, compared to the old one. Rainwater-harvesting and water-recycling systems have been included. It has been designed to be more space efficient and meant to function for the next 150 years.
Lok Sabha: The new Lok Sabha chamber has a peacock theme, with designs drawn from the national bird’s feathers carved on the walls and ceiling, complemented by teal carpets. The Lok Sabha chamber will have 888 seats, up from the existing 543, with the option of expanded seating up to 1,272. The Lok Sabha will be used for joint sittings of both Houses in the absence of a Central Hall, which was the fulcrum of the old building.
Rajya Sabha: The Rajya Sabha chamber has been decorated with the lotus as its theme, with red carpets. In both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, two MPs will be able to sit on one bench and each MP will have a touch screen on the desk. The Rajya Sabha chamber can accommodate 384 Members of Parliament (MPs), as opposed to the existing capacity of 250. The increased capacity of both chambers is meant to cater to any future increase in the number of MPs following Delimitation.
Gandhi Statue: The 16-foot-tall bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi, originally placed at the main entrance of Parliament in 1993, has been relocated between the old and new buildings. It now faces the old building, near the entrance used by the Lok Sabha Speaker. The statue has been a significant site for protests, gatherings, and photo-ops for students and Members of Parliament. It was created by renowned sculptor Ram V Sutar, a recipient of the Padma Bhushan award.
National Symbols: The building is replete with national symbols, including the national emblem — the Lion Capital of Ashoka — that weighs 9,500 kg and is 6.5 meters in height, and is visible from a distance. To support this massive bronze sculpture, a structure of 6,500 kg was constructed on top of the central foyer. At the entrance, the Ashoka chakra and the words ‘Satyameva Jayate’ have been carved in stone.
CENTRAL VISTA REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT
The Central Vista of New Delhi houses Rashtrapati Bhawan, Parliament House, North and South Block, India Gate, National Archives among others. In December 1911, King George V made an announcement in Delhi Durbar (a grand assembly) to shift the capital of India from Calcutta to Delhi. Delhi Durbar was hosted to mark the coronation of King George V. The task of constructing a new city was given to Edwin Lutyens, known for his strong adherence to European Classicism and Herbert Baker, a prominent architect in South Africa. Herbert Baker is also the architect of the Union buildings at Pretoria, South Africa. The Parliament House building was designed by both Lutyens and Baker. Rashtrapati Bhavan was designed by Edwin Lutyens. The Secretariat, which includes both north and south blocks, was designed by Herbert Baker.
SENGOL TO BE INSTALLED IN NEW PARLIAMENT
One of the highlights of the event will be the installation of a historic golden scepter, called Sengol, near the Speaker’s seat. The Sengol is a symbol of India’s independence and sovereignty, as well as its cultural heritage and diversity.
WHAT IS THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF SENGOL?
The Sengol is profound in meaning, derived from the Tamil word “Semmai”, it means “Righteousness”. It was made of gold or silver and was often decorated with precious stones. A Sengol scepter was carried by emperors on ceremonial occasions, and used to represent their authority. It is associated with the Chola Empire, one of the longest-ruling and most influential dynasties in South India. The Cholas ruled over parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, and Sri Lanka from the 9th to 13th century CE. They were known for their military prowess, maritime trade, administrative efficiency, cultural patronage, and temple architecture. The Cholas had a tradition of handing over the Sengol scepter from one king to another as a mark of succession and legitimacy. The ceremony was usually performed by a high priest or a guru who blessed the new king and conferred him with the Sengol.
HOW DID SENGOL BECOME A PART OF INDIA'S INDEPENDENCE?
Before independence from British rule in 1947, the then Viceroy - Lord Mountbatten posed a question to the to-be Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru: “What is the ceremony that should be followed to symbolize the transfer of power from British to Indian hands?” PM Nehru then consulted C. Rajagopalachari, commonly known as Rajaji, who went on to become the last Governor-General of India. Rajaji suggested that the Chola model of handing over the Sengol scepter could be adopted as a suitable ceremony for India’s independence. He said that it would reflect India’s ancient civilisation and culture, as well as its unity in diversity.
The Sengol scepter was presented to PM Nehru by Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam (a 500-year-old Saivaite monastery) on August 14, 1947. A golden scepter was crafted by Vummidi Bangaru Chetty, a famous jeweler in Madras (now Chennai). The Nandi, with its unyielding gaze as the beholder of “Nyaya”, is hand-carved at the top.
CENTRE'S STAND ON THE PROJECT
Underlining the cost and infrastructure advantages of the proposed project, the Centre told the SC that the question whether or not to have a new Parliament building is a policy decision which the government is entitled to take. The government had taken an important policy decision to construct a Parliament complex and central secretariat as the existing one is under tremendous stress. Further, the project cannot come up at Noida or elsewhere, but on Central Vista.
Criticism: The Opposition, environmentalists, architects and citizens have raised many concerns even before the pandemic brought in extra issues. They have questioned the lack of studies to ascertain the need for the project and its impact on the environment, traffic and pollution. Several key approvals for the proposed Parliament building have been pushed during the lockdown. This led to allegations of a lack of transparency. They argue that in the situation created by the pandemic, the project must be deferred as the country can’t afford it at this time.
