Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Parliament building in New Delhi on May 28, 2023.
The building is a part of the ongoing Central Vista project, which is aimed at revamping the three-kilometre long Kartavyapath (formerly Rajpath) by 2026 with multiple development and redevelopment works.
All you need to know about the new Parliament building
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According to the Central Vista website, the need for a new Parliament House emerged because the older one, which was commissioned in 1927, has started “showing signs of distress and over-utilisation and is not able to meet the current requirements in terms of space, amenities and technology”.
The old building, designed by British architects Herbert Baker and Edwin Lutyens, was never constructed to accommodate a legislature with two chambers. Additionally, fire safety was a major concern in the existing parliament.
The new parliament in Delhi has been created taking all of this into account. Constructed alongside the existing Parliament House, the new building has been created in a triangular shape to optimise space utilisation. It has larger chambers for both houses of the legislature — Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha halls now can seat up to 1,272 and 384 members, respectively. The earthquake-safe building is equipped with better technology, including biometrics for voting, digital language interpretation and translation systems, reports state.
The new building also houses the ‘Sengol’, believed to have marked the transfer of power from the British to India in 1947. Sengol is a sceptre that has a royal or imperial insignia. This sceptre is believed to signify sovereign authority, justice, power and good governance.
Gujarat-based architect Bimal Patel’s firm (HCP Design Planning and Management Private Limited) has designed the new building, according to The Hindu. The Central Vista website adds that once the new building is completed, restoration work on the existing Parliament House will begin.
Here are key moments from the grand inauguration of our new Parliament building. A milestone in our nation’s journey, it radiates the hopes and aspirations of 140 crore Indians. pic.twitter.com/OQM7HKPa5R
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 28, 2023
To mark the inauguration of the building, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on Twitter, “As the new building of India’s Parliament is inaugurated, our hearts and minds are filled with pride, hope and promise. May this iconic building be a cradle of empowerment, igniting dreams and nurturing them into reality. May it propel our great nation to new heights of progress.” Celebrations of the new building also included a light-and-sound show.
#WATCH | Light and laser show at the new Parliament building in Delhi
PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the #NewParliamentBuilding today. pic.twitter.com/MNq7R9a7ql
— ANI (@ANI) May 28, 2023
This is not all. The Indian PM also requested people to share the video of the new parliament with their voice-overs with the hashtag #MyParliamentMyPride, adding that he’d be reposting some of them on his own handle. Celebrities such as Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar have also participated in the trend, posting videos and sharing their message with the country. Check them out below:
What a magnificent new home for the people who uphold our Constitution, represent every citizen of this great Nation and protect the diversity of her one People @narendramodi ji.
A new Parliament building for a New India but with the age old dream of Glory for India. Jai Hind!… pic.twitter.com/FjXFZwYk2T— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) May 27, 2023
Proud to see this glorious new building of the Parliament. May this forever be an iconic symbol of India’s growth story. #MyParliamentMyPride pic.twitter.com/vcXfkBL1Qs
— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) May 27, 2023
Hero and Featured Image credit: Sonu Sood/@sonusood/Twitter
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Written By
Anushka Goel
Anushka has previously worked with publications such as the Times of India and Being Indian. A graduate from Xavier Institute of Communications, she specialises in entertainment, food and travel. She also likes to write about sustainability and beauty. When not working, you can catch her reading a book, tending to her plants, cooking or playing an instrument.
