The Center on Thursday has agreed to build a new Parliament building after the Lok Sabha speaker Sumira Mahajan’s proposal, behind Vayu Bhawan at the iconic Rajpath.

In a letter send by the urban development minister Vekaiah Naidu to Mahajan it has been reported that the minister has suggested that the new building can be connected to the existing Parliament building through a tunnel across Rajpath.

Earlier, Sumitra Mahajan had raised the issue of Parliament’s extension keeping in mind the growing demand of space and wrote that the 88-year-old building was showing the sign of ‘distress’. The speaker had given two options for the alternative site. One within the current Parliament complex and another at Rajpath.

Sources reported that the decision of constructing new building would be taken by higher level in the government. Officials added that building a new building will take at least 6-7 years.

Mahajan had proposed for the new building as according to her the Lok Sabha strength could increase after 2026 due to delimitation, increasing of candidates to represent the constituencies in the parliament, which is based on population measured in the last census. The next census will be taking place on 2021.

The existing Parliament building was constructed in 1927 for the limited staff of security personnel, media visitors and parliamentary activities of the time. As all the staff has now increased manifold, the new building is definitely a need of time.

By Prajakt K