TATA group to construct New Parliament Building

 

The TATA Group of Companies have won the bid to construct a new Parliament building. Total cost for the project is Rs 861.90 crores. It is expected to be completed in 21 months.

Key Facts

The TATA Group had the lowest bid.
The L and T had a bid of Rs 865 crores.

 

Construction Plan

• The development project will have a common Central Secretariat, a new triangular Parliament building.
• The central chamber will be enlarged in order to accommodate 1400 members.
• The project will also revamp the three-kilometre-long Rajpath that extends from Rashtrapati Bhawan to India Gate.
• The entire project will be maintained by The Central Public Works.
• Shastri Bhawan and Krishi Bhawan will be demolished to facilitate the new Central Secretariat under the project.
• Further, the North and South Block will be converted into museums.
• The Rashtrapati Bhawan area to the ridge will be converted into biodiversity arboretum in order to showcase India’s biological diversity.

 

Background

• The Current Parliament was designed by Edwin Lutyens in 1912-1913.
• He was nominated after the King George V announced to shift the capital of India from Calcutta to Delhi in December 1911.
• The Parliament was opened on 8 January 1927 by the then Viceroy of India, Lord Irwin.
• Under the current plan, the secretariat including the North and South Block was designed by Herbert Baker.
• The Parliament House, Rashtrapati Bhavan, North and South Block, India Gate, and national archives are currently clubbed as the Central Vista.
• In 2006, The Parliament Museum was opened. It stands next to the Parliament House in the Parliamentary Library Building.