Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a ‘surprise’ visit on Sunday night, visited the construction site of the new Parliament building under the Central Vista redevelopment project for inspection.
Wearing a construction helmet, the PM arrived without any prior information and security details. He spent about an hour at the site and directly inspected the condition of the construction.
Several photographs showed Modi talking to construction officials at the site of the Rs 971 crore project. The project is planned to be completed in 2022.
Laying the foundation stone of the new parliament in December last year, the prime minister said the new structure would symbolize the “coexistence of the new and the ancient” as well as fulfill the country’s 21st century aspirations.
The primary Central Vista project includes the construction of a new Parliament building, as well as a new residence complex for the Prime Minister and Vice President. It will also have new office buildings and a central secretariat to house the offices of several ministries.
Government officials have said that the winter session of Parliament will be held in the new building in 2022. The area of the new Parliament House will be 64,500 square metres. It will also have a grand Constitution Hall to showcase India’s democratic heritage, a lounge for Members of Parliament, a library, several committee rooms, dining areas and ample parking space. The Lok Sabha Hall in the new building will have a seating capacity of 888 members, while the Rajya Sabha will have 384 seats for members.