The construction of the new Parliament building will be started from tomorrow, officials have informed.
A 14-member heritage panel on January 11 had given its approval for construction of a new parliament building under the government's ambitious Central Vista redevelopment plan, paving the way for work to start.
The nod by the Heritage Conservation Committee came nearly a week after the Supreme Court asked the Centre to seek prior approval from the panel and other relevant authorities before starting construction of the new parliament building.
Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said construction of the new parliament building would not affect the existing structure, which is a heritage one.
Asked about the arrangements for funding the Central Vista project, Puri said that the cost will be absorbed by each of the ministries in their own budget.
The minister said that the government is currently spending Rs 1,000 crore for rental annually to house its various offices.
Work on the redevelopment of Rajpath will start soon after this year's Republic Day parade. The work is expected to be completed in the next 10 months and the 2022 Republic Day parade will be held on a redeveloped Rajpath, the housing secretary said.
On January 5, the Supreme Court cleared the decks for the ambitious Central Vista Project by upholding the environmental clearance and the notification for change in land use.
The redevelopment project of the Central Vista - the nation's power corridor - envisages a new triangular parliament building, a common central secretariat and revamping of the three-km-long Rajpath, from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate.
With inputs from agency
