How The New Parliament Building Differs From Old Sansad Bhavan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to inaugurate the new Parliament building on Sunday, nearly a century after the existing one was established.

The magnificent four-storey structure, built at a cost of Rs 862 crore, embraces the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' vision as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of India's independence.

The old Sansad Bhavan served as independent India's first Parliament and witnessed the adoption of the Constitution of India. It is a colonial-era building designed by British architects Sir Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, which took six years to construct (1921-1927).

Originally called the Council House, the building housed the Imperial Legislative Council. The Parliament Building witnessed the addition of two floors in 1956 to address the demand for more space.

In 2006, the Parliament Museum was added to showcase the 2,500 years of rich democratic heritage of India. The building had to be modified to a large extent to suit the purpose of a modern Parliament.

Amid the row over who should inaugurate the new building, here are the major differences between the to-be-inaugurated and already existing Parliaments.

The design

The new Parliament building, which reflects the aspirations of 140 crore Indians is built at an area of around 65,000 sqmt. Its triangular shape assures optimum space utilisation. The magnificent four-storey building is triangular in shape.

Seating capacity

The new Parliament will accommodate 888 seats while the Rajya Sabha will also be able to house 384 parliamentarians. The existing building has a strength of 552 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha 284.

No Central hall

Notably, the new Parliament building will not feature a Central Hall. Instead, it houses a state-of-the-art constitutional hall, symbolically placing citizens at the heart of our democracy.

Earthquake proof

Unlike the old Parliament House, the new structure will be reinforced to withstand strong shocks in Zone 5, ensuring the safety of the occupants.

Peacock and Lotus Flower Theme

Lok Sabha has been designed on the theme of the national bird Peacock, the chamber of the Rajya Sabha symbolises the national flower, Lotus.

Large spaces

The new Parliament building will have big offices that are designed to be secure and equipped with the latest communication technology. It will also have large committee rooms, and purpose-designed spaces to facilitate and deliver higher efficiency.

The Central Lounge

The Central Lounge is being created to complement the open courtyard. The open courtyard will have the national tree, the Banyan tree.

Divyang friendly

The new Parliament building is accessible to people with disabilities. Divyangs will be able to move around freely and independently.