New Delhi: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) will soon submit the proposal for construction of new Parliament building and the central vista redevelopment project to the Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC).
"The proposal is ready and we will be submitting it to the heritage conservation committee soon. We have strictly followed all norms while preparing the proposal," said a senior official in the housing ministry to ETV Bharat on Saturday.
The Supreme Court has recently given a go-ahead to the mega project on the condition that necessary approval needs to be acquired from the HCC. PIL has been submitted in the apex court highlighting that several historical monuments will be destroyed for the central vista project.
The petitioners have also expressed concern over the deteriorating environment scenario once the authorities start the project work.
"The go-ahead for the project was really expected and the order of the apex court gave us the momentum," said the official.
There are 14 members in the HCC being headed by additional secretary in the MoHUA Kamran Rizvi. The other members of the HCC are from CPWD, town and country planning organisation, MCD, DDA, NDMC, ASI, Hindu College and National Museum of National History.
It is estimated that the entire project work will be completed in two years.
The central vista master plan envisages developing and redeveloping the area from Rashtrapati Bhawan to India Gate, restoring its grandeur as an architectural icon, housing modern facilities for modern functioning of the administration, strengthening cultural institutions and commemorating 75th year of Indian independence in 2022.
"We are all set to complete the project on time," said the official.
Also read: Go-ahead for Central Vista project 'unfortunate': Experts
The project also aims to renovate and redevelop 86 acres of land in Lutyens' Delhi having parliament house, Rashtrapati Bhawan, India Gate, North Block, South Block, Sastri Bhawan and Udyog Bhawan.
The central public works department (CPWD) which has been assigned with the task of implementing the project revised an estimated costs of Rs 13,450 crore.
The Government has suggested that 53 ministries offices which are scattered in a number of buildings on different locations are not sufficient to accommodate all officers.
The project proposed to build common central secretariat to house all ministries in 10 buildings. Interestingly, the new Parliament building will be constructed at a cost of Rs 900 crore which will witness an increase of 150 per cent seating capacity.
It may be mentioned here that Lok Sabha has a seating capacity of 552 at present which will increase up to 888 in the new building. The Rajya Sabha on the other hand has a seating capacity of 245 at present, and it will witnesses an increase of up to 384.
