Foundation stone for the new Parliament building will be laid today by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 1 p.m. The building is expected to be completed by 2022. The estimated cost of the new building is 971 crore rupees. The existing building will then be conserved as it is an archaeological asset for the country.

The existing parliament building is nearly 100 years old for which the foundation was laid by Duke of Connaught in 1921. This existing colonial structured building will be replaced by a 4-storeyed structure with a seating capacity of 1,224 people.

The ‘bhoomi-pujan’ will begin at 1 p.m. followed by the PM’s address at 2:15. It has also been stated that construction cannot begin immediately as various pleas against the project are pending before the Supreme Court.

The facts about this new Parliament building are as below:

• The existing building will be conserved as an archaeological site.
• The new building is being structured to celebrate 75 years of independence of India.
• Estimated budget for the new building is 971 crore rupees.
• 1,224 MPs can be seated as the building covers an area of 64,500 square metres. The new building will have 4 floors (basement, ground floor, 1st floor and 2nd floor). The height of the new building will be kept the same as the old building.
• The bid for construction was won by Tata Projects Limited in September 2020.
• Reportedly, the design is integrate 'indigenous architecture', involving around 2,000 workers for construction, 200 artists, and 9,000 others periphrastically, from different parts of the country.
• The new chamber for Lok Sabha will have a seating capacity for 888 members. Rajya Sabha chamber will have a capacity for 384 members.
• A new complex for law-makers of both houses which will have 120 office space will be built in the existing Shram Shakti Bhawan.
• The new building will also have space for a grand Constitution Hall for showcasing India’s democratic heritage, a library, a lounge for the MPs, multiple committee rooms, dining areas and has provisions for ample parking space.

The theme of the building would celebrate the cultural diversity of India and would incorporate regional arts and crafts. The artisans and sculptures from different parts of the country would be making this structure symbolising “Atma Nirbhar Bharat”.