Parliament building will be put to alternative use, says Minister

Mar 18,2021

Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri told the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that once the new Parliament building was ready, the existing one will have to be repaired and made available for alternate use but no comprehensive thought has been given on what use it should be put to.

He said no historical or iconic building in Lutyens Delhi will be demolished for the Central Vista project but few buildings will have to be demolished “only when alternate offices have been constructed”.

The Centre wants to re-develop the 3-km stretch from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to the India Gate known as the Central Vista project. The plan, as drafted by the Ahmedabad-based HCP Design, Planning and Management, involves constructing a triangular shaped Parliament building adjacent to the one built in the 1920s by the British, demolishing the post-Independence office buildings and replacing them with 10 multi-storey office complexes to house all Ministries. The plan is also afoot to revamp the civic infrastructure and facilities for the Republic Day parade on Rajpath.

“Some State governments will draw inspiration from Central Vista and make sure that all government buildings rather than be scattered all over are in one place ...so far no demand from them,” he said.

Ami Yagnik of the Congress asked him to share the number of buildings to be demolished as the information has been provided in an affidavit in the Supreme Court.

Mr. Puri retorted, “The points mentioned by the member reflects a narrative. The only decision taken and announced so far is that 90 acres of hutments of 1942 variety are being removed and the offices there are being relocated to KG Marg and Africa Avenue. All those people in those substandard offices since 1947 will be moved, we have taken a decision, all affidavits have a context. The new Parliament building to be completed by 2022. ... Not a single historical or iconic building will be demolished for the central secretariat project. Entire narrative was built...we will have to demolish few buildings but only when alternate offices have been constructed, the city will not come to a halt, why are you getting excited madam? You built Krishi Bhavan, Nirman Bhavan, substandard buildings they were, we will shift you to new Parliament.”

Evolving plan

He said the project is an “evolving plan”. “The idea is to bring all offices in central vista secretariat. It will have space for 50,000 people, connected by underground tunnel. We have a master plan, yet to take a final decision. Rumours were spread that ₹27,000 crore will be spent. Decisions will be taken step wise. Along Central Vista, nine buildings will come up. New residence for Prime Minister and Vice-President will be built,” he said.

According to a report in The Hindu on December 28, 2020, quoting the minutes of a meeting by government agencies, the proposed built-up area for the project would be 17,21,500 square metres and the area to be demolished would be 4,58,820 square metres, at a cost of ₹13,450 crore. The buildings that would be demolished are the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, Shastri Bhavan, Krishi Bhavan, Vigyan Bhavan, VP Residency, National Museum, Jawahar Bhavan, Nirman Bhavan, Udyog Bhavan, Raksha Bhavan and INS Hutments, according to the minutes of the meeting.