Tata Projects Ltd won the bid to construct the new parliament bouse after it quoted a figure of Rs 861.9 crore, a little lower than Larsen and Toubro Ltd's quote of Rs 865 crore. The new parliament building is one of the first projects to be finalised as part of the Central Vista redevelopment project.
This project has been taken up by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), which is attached to Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The Central Vista houses the Rashtrapati Bhawan, Parliament, North and South blocks, the India Gate and the National Archives.
According to the CPWD tender, the estimated cost of construction of the new building will be Rs 889 crores over 21 months, for which the CPWD had set August 14 deadline to submit the technical bids. Tata Projects Ltd won out of the three companies that qualified for the bid — L&T Ltd, Tata Project Ltd and Shapoorji Pallonji and Co Pvt.
Here are 5 things you should know about the new parliament building:
1) The new parliamentary building will be constructed near to the old Parliament, in plot number 118 of the Parliament House estate, and the existing building will continue to function until the project is completed, after which the old parliament building will be repurposed. CPWD also added that the new building will be a reinforced cement concrete framed structure. Hindustan Times reported that the work on the new parliamentary building will begin after the Monsoon Session ends, on October 1.
2) CPWD's notice on the new parliament building also detailed its construction. It said, "The plinth of the new building shall match that of the existing one, which is approximately 1.8 metres above the ground level. The total plinth area of the proposed building is approximately 65,000 sqm, including the basement area of approximately 16,921 sqm. The building will be ground plus two-storeyed with one basement."
3) Two PIL (public interest litigations) were filed against the Central Vista redevelopment project where questions had been raised about the environmental consequences of the construction of the new parliament building. In an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court, CPWD highlighted that there will be no environmentally harmful consequences because of the construction of the new parliament house. The design proposes to have green spaces in three dispersed pockets around the Central Vista area.
4) After the after delimitation of constituencies, the strength of the members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha may increase. To accommodate the growing capacity, the new parliamentary building will be able to seat 1400 MPs at once.
5) Ahmedabad-based firm HCP Design, Planning and Management will be responsible for carrying out the planning and design of the new parliament building.