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.

Month: Current Affairs - September, 2020