New Parliament will improve public life: CPWD tells SC

The CPWD informed the Supreme Court that the construction of the new Parliament would be improving public life. CPWD also submitted that the existing building is not able to meet the current requirement in terms of space, amenities and technology.

New Delhi: The Central Public Works department of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has informed the Supreme Court that all the environmental clearances for the construction of the new Parliament and secretariat is in place and construction would be improving public life.

Emphasising on the necessity for a new building, CPWD submitted that, "there is no feasibility of accomodating more members in existing building", the existing building is 100 years old and is not able to meet the current requirement in terms of space, amenities and technology.

"The structure does not meet the upgraded earthquake Zone 1V requirements. Fire safety is a major concern as the building is not designed to meet the present fire norms. The existing building also requires extensive retrofitting, which is not feasible without vacating the building," read the affidavit.

Other reasons detailed were electrical, plumbing, better connectivity with public transport etc.

Seeking smooth construction for the buildings, the affidavit said that COVID is a temporary situation and it should not be disrupting the long term plans of the government to "improve public life".

"The government is not investing Rs 20,000 crore immediately as alleged by the petitioners. The total expenditure is likely to be carried out in a period of about six years. While it will save substantial expenditure on the hiring of accommodation, it will also increase the efficiency of the executive functioning and ease public life in general as all the key ministers will be located centrally," read the affidavit.