Table of Contents
Introduction
The law of nature is that only the fittest survive and the old must give way to the new and young. A similar transition was witnessed on 10th December 2020 when Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the new Parliament Building in Delhi. A prominent component of the Central Vista Project, the triangular building now sits adjacent to its predecessor on the 9.5-acre plot.
Central Vista Project
The Central Vista is a 3.2 km stretch in the National Capital which houses the Rashtrapati Bhawan, Parliament House, North and South Block, India Gate, National Stadium, and National Archives, among many other structures. India’s central administrative area located near Raisina Hill was originally designed by Edward Lutyens and Herbert Baker. Since 1927, the structures designed by Baker and Lutyens have housed the country’s governing body and have faced countless, historical decisions.
Central Vista Present vs. Proposed Plan, Parliament Picture
In 2020, the Central Vista redevelopment Project was announced which is scheduled to be completed by the year 2026. The opportunity to redevelop the Kartavya Path fell into the hands of the architectural firm HCP under the guidance of Ar. Bimal Patel and was commissioned by the CPWD.
Kartavya Path
The Kartavya Path extends from the Rashtrapati Bhawan to the India Gate. Inspired by the Washington National Memorial and Paris’s Avenue de Champs-Elysees, it also doubles as the venue for the Republic Day Parade as well as numerous other ceremonial functions.
Flanked on both sides with green spaces and water channels, it’s an exemplary urban planning project that flows along a central axis, has strong focal points, and a well-executed initiation and termination point. Initially named the King’s Way in post-independence India, its name evolved to Rajpath and finally to Kartavya Path- the ceremonial boulevard.
Need of The Hour
The 3.2 km stretch has gone through multiple revamps since its inception. While it remains one of the busiest streets in Delhi, the path has its drawbacks. The heavy traffic as well as heavy public use called for better arrangements that were pedestrian-friendly and in favor of the vendors. Originally the path didn’t have facilities for the pedestrians, leaving room for improvement. These concerns were addressed in the revamping and have materialized in the form of defined paved pathways which were integrated into the landscaping of the area. The new Kartavya Path has increased lawn space by around 40,000 sq. m.
Features of the Central Vista
At present 51 ministries are scattered across New Delhi, with 150 sq. km between them. Loss of time and wasteful travel due to VIP movement is one of the problems the New Vista is aiming to eliminate. An attempt to house all ministries in one complex, essentially minimizing movement in the Central secretariat has been made via well-planned drop-offs and pickup zones as well as central courtyards and meeting rooms in each building. Underground and ground-level shuttle service, which is also connected to the existing secretariat metro station have been provided for ease of transport.
The new Vista also includes a new vice president enclave, the Prime minister’s office and residence, new museums, and a national biodiversity arboretum in addition to the prized Parliament Delhi Building.
Legacy of the Old Parliament House
The original Parliament House of India is a circular building that housed the Parliament of India for over 70 years and holds great symbolic value. Being a heritage structure, it witnessed the change of power in 1947 as well as the drafting of the constitution.
The original building was designed as a “Council House” for British India and post-independence it was repurposed to serve as the Parliament House. The chamber for the Council of State became the Rajya Sabha Chamber and the Legislative Assembly became the Lok Sabha Chamber. The colonial structure was never designed to accommodate a bicameral legislature for a full-fledged democracy, thus creating the need for a new Parliament House.
Old Parliament vs New Parliament Architecture
The old Lok Sabha Chambers and Central Hall were full to their capacity and could not be further expanded. The office and meeting facilities were inadequate, and the natural sunlight and ventilation were compromised as well. All these concerns needed to be addressed, which resulted in the inception of the new Parliament House.
Currently, the old Parliament is being retrofitted as per Heritage Conservation Standards and being refurbished to be earthquake-proof. It will continue to be used for parliamentary functions as well as its library.
An Intro with the New
The New Parliament House is a triangular-shaped building adjacent to the old parliament house on plot no. 118. The form evolved from its peculiar site, need to sit in harmony with its historic surrounding buildings, and demands of a primary shape. Inaugurated on 28th May 2023, the designers attempted to keep both houses in sync, as part of the same complex which complements each other. The building took 2.5 years to be built and is the first purpose-designed parliament building in India.
The 9.5-acre plot is utilized to the maximum potential with multiple facilities such as a central foyer, offices, and quarters of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, a central lounge, a library, and eating areas. With 6 entrance doors, all paying homage to nature in their ways, motifs and statues adorn the building, showcasing India’s rich heritage.
Site Plan for the Old and New Buildings of Parliament
The building’s architecture is inspired by the existing parliament house and the other buildings in Central Vista as well as the classical, folk, and tribal arts and crafts of India.
Floor Plan of New Parliament Building
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha Chamber, also known as the House of the People, now seats 672 members, which can be expanded to 768 members. The entire chamber is designed as a homage to the National bird of India, The Peacock. Covering an area of 1315 sq. m. the new Lok Sabha Chamber is twice the size of the old chamber.
The carpets and upholstery which bear the motifs of the peacock and its artistic interpretations were sourced from Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh while the white marble featured inside was brought from Gujarat. The ornamentation is inspired by traditional crafts of India and sacred symbols such as the wooden Ashok Chakra are present in both chambers.
The Lok Sabha Hall can hold up to 1272 members in case of joint sessions of the parliament.
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha Chamber, which houses the Council of States, now seats 396 members. The chamber’s design is based on the National Flower the Lotus. Motifs featuring the flower can be seen on the ceiling, walls, and floor mats. The new Rajya Sabha is 1.5 times the size of the old chamber and has audience seating available, to all viewing of the proceedings of the legislature.
Features
Both chambers are fully digital, featuring a biometric lock as well as a translator supporting all 28 languages. The Lok Sabha features a multi-media display for viewing of poll results as well as other activities. A command room has been created for the smooth functioning of the sessions.
The central courtyard represents the diverse flora of India. With the Banyan tree at the center, the open spaces play an important role in the structure.
In the Constitution Hall, a central skylight features a hanging pendulum that connects the cosmos to the Earth. The decorative pattern on the floor beneath it depicts the precise location of Delhi on the globe.
The building has more than 1700 doors and windows and has over 3.5km long building corridors. The building has been designed to withstand seismic activity for seismic zone V even though Delhi lies in the Seismic zone IV.
Tokens from throughout the Nation
The entire nation stood on standby, supporting the construction of the new Parliament. The building was a beacon of hope, a symbol of better times approaching during the dark hours of the Covid pandemic. Shri Narendra Modi, our prime minister rightfully said “If the old Parliament House gave direction to post-independence India, the new parliament architecture building would become a witness to the creation of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat.”
The diversity of India is appropriately represented in the following ways:
- Sandstone sourced from Dholpur, Rajasthan which was used to create intricate fenestrated screens which decorate the interiors of the building.
- White marble sourced from Gujarat is used in the façade and on the floor of the pendulum clock.
- Extensive use of wood in the exterior as well as the interior is done, the wood is sourced from Nagpur, and artisans and craftsmen native to Mumbai were employed to create authentic Indian woodwork. Both the assembly rooms enjoy an Ashok chakra fashioned from the same wood.
- Hand-knotted carpets from Bhadohi, UP used to adorn the interiors.
- Bamboo wooden flooring featured which was specially brought in from Tripura.
Indian architecture served as the primary inspiration for the contemporary new parliament house of India. While preserving the existing landscape and built environment, the structure has succeeded in paying homage to the past, the history of our country, and India’s rich heritage. A mix of Indian cultures, the building houses components and representative tokens of the entire subcontinent, reflecting our rich democracy and our roots, a reason for pride for every Indian.
FAQs
Q. New parliament building design based on which temple?
A. The architectural inspiration for the design of the new Parliament building in India comes from the ancient Laxmi Vilas Temple (also known as the Lakshmi Narayan Temple) in Bhopal as well as the triangular form of the Shree Yantra a symbol of cosmic energy in Hindu philosophy.
Q. New parliament building built by which company?
A. One of India’s top infrastructure firms **Tata Projects Limited** built the country’s new parliament building. Aiming to modernize the country’s administrative buildings the construction was a part of the Central Vista Redevelopment Project. Beginning in December 2020 the project was finished in 2023. This famous buildings design and construction were carried out by Tata Projects.
