Why new Parliament building is needed

New Delhi, Dec 10: The new Parliament building, whose bhoomi pujan will be done by the PM on Thursday, is an intrinsic part of the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and will be a landmark opportunity to build peoples' Parliament for the first time after independence, the PMO said on Tuesday.

The PMO also said the new Parliament complex will match the "needs and aspirations of New India" in the 75th anniversary of independence in 2022.

The existing building is a British-era structure while the New Building is to be equipped with all modern Audio Visual communication facilities and Data network systems.

Lok Sabha will be three times of the existing size and Rajya Sabha will be substantially bigger, the Prime Minister's Office said, adding that the interiors of the new building will showcase a rich blend of Indian culture and diversity of our regional arts, crafts, textiles and architecture.

In the new building, the Lok Sabha chamber will have a seating capacity for 888 members, while Rajya Sabha will have 384 seats for members. The Lok Sabha chamber will have an option to increase its sitting capacity to 1,224 members during joint sessions. This has been done keeping in mind the future increase in the number of members for the two houses.

The construction of the new Parliament building will utilise resource-efficient green technology, promote environment-friendly practices, generate employment opportunities and contribute towards economic revitalisation.

The new building will comply with the highest structural safety standards, including adherence to Seismic Zone 5 requirements and is designed for ease of maintenance and operations, the PMO further added.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had earlier said, "The existing temple of democracy is completing 100 years... It is a matter of pride for our countrymen that the new one will be built by our own people as a prime example of Aatmanirbhar Bharat." "The new building will showcase the cultural diversity of the country," Birla said.