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India’s new Parliament Building can last 150 years, seat 150% more

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bY S VENKAT NARAYAN,

Our Special Correspondent

 NEW DELHI: India will celebrate 75 years of its independence in 2022 with a new triangular Parliament Building in place. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid its foundation stone on December 10. The present circular Parliament House is a century-old beauty, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. 

The new building will have a life of more than 150 years with more than 150% increase in seating capacity, the government said. While the interior of the new Lok Sabha will have the theme of peacock, the national bird, Rajya Sabha will have national flower lotus as its theme.

Besides the two Houses, the building will have a Constitution Hall that will exhibit an original Constitution and a digital form for people to read page-by-page. This will be the only portion of the building that will have no storeys.

The rest of the complex will have four floors. Each floor will have offices of ministers and committee rooms. The first floor will have dining space for member of Parliament, VVIPs and visitors.

It will also have a central lounge. Besides being earthquake proof, the new building will be eco-friendly and consume significantly less power. “The project will be completed in time in 2022 and the winter session will be held here,” says Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

The building will be earthquake-resistant, and adaptable to the most modern digital technology.

Provisions will be made in the furniture for smart displays, biometrics for ease of voting, digital language interpretation or translation systems, and recording infrastructure to produce real-time metadata and programmable microphones.

 Interiors of the halls will be fitted with virtual sound simulations to set the right levels of reverberation sound and limit the echo.

 It will incorporate indigenous architecture from different parts of the country, and showcase the cultural diversity.

 Around 2,000 people will be directly involved in its construction, while another 9,000 will be there indirectly. 

More than 200 artistes from various parts of the country will also work for the building.

The existing Parliament building will be conserved as an archaeological asset of the country.

 The project of building the new Parliament Building has been given to Tata Projects Ltd.

The design has been prepared by HCP Design, Planning and Management Pvt Ltd. The building is to come up on a 64,500-square-metre area. The total cost is estimated at INR9.71 billion.

 The building will have six entrances: A ceremonial entrance for the President and Prime Minister; one for the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, and MPs; a ceremonial entrance in general; another entrance for MPs; and two public entrances.

 The new Parliament complex will have four floors — lower ground, upper ground, first and second floors.

 A total of 120 office spaces, including committee rooms, major offices of the ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Lok Sabha Secretariat, Rajya Sabha secretariat, offices of the Prime Minister, some MPs and offices for staff and security personnel will be housed in the new Parliament. It will also have a reading room for MPs. It will not have a Central Hall.

 The Lok Sabha chamber, which will come up on a 3,015-square-metre area, will have 888 seats instead of present 543 seats, spread over an area of 1,145 square metres.

 The Rajya Sabha chamber, spread over an area of 3,220 square metres, will have 384 seats against its current strength of 245 seats on a 1,232-square-metre area.

 During a joint session, the new Lok Sabha chamber will be able to accommodate 1,224 members. The MPs will be seated in two-seater benches, which can accommodate three in case of joint sessions, in a horseshoe pattern in front of the Speaker.

 An adjacent building, which will come up on the site of Shram Shakti Bhavan, will have rooms for all MPs, and will be connected via an underpass.

 The building will be earthquake-resistant, and adaptable to the most modern digital technology. It will incorporate indigenous architecture from different parts of the country, and showcase the cultural diversity.

 Officials said the building will have the most modern security and surveillance system. “The security check will be mostly non-intrusive,” said Bimal Patel, the designer of Central Vista redevelopment project. Dholpur and red stone from Rajasthan will be largely used.



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Timely and accurate data essential for effective decision making – PM

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A meeting was held to discuss post-disaster planning and the reconstruction process, with special focus on flood-prone areas on Monday [8 th of December]  at the Prime Minister’s Office under the patronage of the Prime Minister, and attended by representatives from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank, and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

During the meeting, the Prime Minister emphasized the critical importance of timely and systematic information and data collection to support timely and effective decision-making on a daily basis following the post disaster situations. The Prime noted that accurate data flows are essential for guiding recovery efforts in the short and long term.

The Representatives outlined the need assessment process using RAPIDA and Global Rapid Post-Disaster Damage Estimation (GRADE), the UNDP’s post-crisis assessment initiated by integrating GIS technology, satellite imagery, and ground-level data, to deliver real-time, actionable insights after a crisis to helps identify affected locations, communities, infrastructure damage, debris estimates, and land use changes-providing crucial data.

The representatives of UNDP reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the Government and they expressed their readiness to collaborate closely and to strengthen ongoing partnerships to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of post-disaster response and reconstruction activities.

The discussion was attended by the Country Manager for World Bank Dr. Gevorg Sargsyan, Resident Representatives for United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Ms. Azusa Kubota, South Asia Director for United Nations Office for Project Services ((UNOPS), and Secretary to the Prime Minister  Pradeep Saputhanthri, Additional Secretary (Development) Ms Sagarika Bogahawaththa and officials from the Department of National Planning.

[Prime minister’s media division]

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Bandaranaike Memorial National Foundation donates Rs. 250 million to the Government for national recovery after the emergency situation

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The Bandaranaike Memorial National Foundation has donated Rs. 250 million to the Government to support the rebuild of the country following the emergency situation caused by the Ditva cyclone.

Chairperson of the Bandaranaike Memorial National Foundation, former President Chandrika Bandaranaike, together with the Board of Directors, handed over the cheque to Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on 08 th of December at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Subsequently, a cordial discussion was held between the Foundation’s Chairperson, former President Chandrika Bandaranaike, and Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.

The occasion was attended by the secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri, Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi, and representatives of the Board of Directors of the Bandaranaike Memorial National Foundation.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

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Level III landslide warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale extended

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The Level III RED landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale by the Landslide Early Warning Center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] have been extended until 1600hrs tomorrow [10th December 2025].

Accordingly,
The LEVEL III RED landslide early warnings issued to the Divisional Secretaries Division and surrounding areas of Panvila, Udapalatha, Minipe, Poojapitiya, Gangawata Korale, Thumpane, Doluwa, Pathadumbara, Ganga Ihala Korale, Harispattuwa, Akurana, Ududumbara, Pathahewaheta, Hatharaliyadda, Yatinuwara, Deltota, Medadumbara, Udunuwara, Kundasale and Pasbage Korale in the Kandy district, Yatiyanthota, Rambukkana, Aranayaka, Warakapola, Galigamuwa, Mawanella and Bulathkohupitiya in the Kegalle district, Mallawapitiya, Rideegama and Mawathagama in the Kurunegala district, and Ukuwela, Pallepola, Rattota, Matale, Laggala Pallegama, Yatawatta, Naula, Ambanganga Korale and Wilgamuwa  in the Matale district have been extended.

LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings  issued to the Divisional Secretaries Division and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Hali_Ela, Meegahakivula, Badulla, Kandeketiya, Bandarawela, Soranathota, Ella, Haputhale, Lunugala, Welimada, Haldummulla and Passara in the Badulla district, Ruwanwella, Dehiowita, Kegalle and Deraniyagala in the Kegalle district, Alawwa and Polgahawela in the Kurunegala district and Nuwara Eliya, Nildandahinna, Thalawakele, Kothmale West, Mathurata, Ambagamuwa Korale, Hanguranketha, Walapane, Kothmale East and Norwood in the Nuwara Eliya district, and Kahawaththa, Kolonna and Godakawela  in the Ratnapura district have also been extended.

LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Mirigama, Divulapitiya and Attanagalla in the Gampaha district, Narammala in the Kurunegala district, and Kiriella, Balangoda, Kuruwita, Openayake, Nivithigala, Kaltota, Pelmadulla, Kalawana, Eheliyagoda, Elapatha, Ayagama, Imbulpe and Ratnapura in the Ratnapura district.

 

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