Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the symbolic launch of the new parliament building on the Central Vista today.
However, the actual construction of the building cannot begin immediately as a petition challenging the construction is pending in the Supreme Court.
Advertisement
The ceremony will begin at 12:55 pm, bhoomi poojan and the laying of foundation stone will take place at 1 pm. The Prime Minister will address the people at 2.15 pm.
The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the government to go ahead with the foundation laying ceremony for the central vista project underlining that no construction or demolition until it disposes of pleas opposing the project.
The government agreed to the conditions put forth by the apex court and the court said the ‘authorities are free to undertake formal process without altering site in question in any manner’.
The bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar had told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, “You can lay the foundation stone, you can carry on paperwork but no construction or demolition, no cutting down any trees.”
The new parliament building is a part of the Rs 20,000-crore Central Vista project, which aims to build and refurbish the government buildings falling on the 13.4-km Rajpath that stretches from the presidential palace Rashtrapati Bhavan to the iconic war memorial India Gate.
The new Parliament building, the Lok Sabha chamber will have 888 seats and the Rajya Sabha will have 384 seats. The building will be earthquake resistant and will have modern digital technology.
The petitions filed question the project on environment grounds.
