New Parliament building likely to come up

New Delhi: A new Parliament House complex may come up in the national capital in place of the existing 85-year-old heritage building. A High Powered Committee (HPC) is being set up to suggest an alternative complex to house the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha amidst apprehensions over the structural stability of the building built in 1927.

The issue of the site, the size and the structure of the alternative complex would be decided by the HPC which will soon be set up by Speaker Meira Kumar, Lok Sabha Secretary General T K Viswanathan said.

The move is being thought of at a time when severe wear and tear as also a spate of changes and encroachments in the original design has endangered the structural stability of the heritage building.

New Parliament building likely to come up

A new complex may come up in the national capital in place of the existing 85-year-old heritage building.

According to Viswanathan, the HPC is being set up in view of the fact that the present structure which was 85 years old could not cope with the growing foot falls and not able to service so many people. The Parliament House is one of the most heavily fortified buildings in the country with the presence of a large number of security personnel.

Besides, in the next 50 years, the strength of both the Houses is also expected to increase with moves for greater representation to women and other weaker sections.

Quoting the Speaker, he said the magnificent building was "weeping" as it has to bear much load with heavy foot falls, new additions, including air conditioning of both the Houses and heavy cabling which was not originally planned.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat has also approached an eminent technical institute at Roorkie to undertake a study of the building, which may not be able to withstand a major earthquake.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has also been approached to detail the measures to be taken in the event of a quake, Viswanathan said.

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