Imminent need to have new Parliament building: Centre on Central Vista redevelopment

The Central government on Tuesday opened its defence of the Central Vista redevelopment project, submitting before the Supreme Court that the construction of a new Parliament building has become an absolute necessity due to the stress on the present one..A three-judge Bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna is hearing a batch of petitions challenging the proposed redevelopment plan of the Central Vista area of Lutyens Delhi..Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, said that the current Parliament building, which was opened in 1927, does not adhere to fire safety norms, has a serious space crunch, and is not earthquake-proof..“There is an imminent need to have a new Parliament building. The current building was built in 1927 prior to independence and was intended to house the legislative council and not a bicameral legislature we have today. The building does not conform to fire safety norms and water and sewer lines are also haphazard which is damaging the heritage nature of the building. Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are packed. When joint sessions are held, members sit on plastic chairs diminishing the dignity of the House.”Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.Once there is an increase in the number of seats of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha after the fresh census to be conducted next year, the building will be under stress, SG Mehta added. He also cited security concerns, highlighting the 2001 Parliament attack..Central Vista: Cannot stop authorities from acting as per law, Supreme Court; Centre claims no breach in process of granting clearance.Mehta also told the Court that the Centre took the decision to redevelop Central Vista, as it was felt that new buildings including Parliament and the Central Secretariat should be built in a historically significant place..“These cannot (therefore) be built at Gurgaon, Panipat or Noida. It has to be at Central Vista.”Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.One important aspect highlighted by the Centre on Tuesday was the priority given to the construction of the new Parliament building by treating it as a standalone project..Though the Central Vista redevelopment includes new buildings for residences of the Vice-President, the Prime Minister, and a slew of ministry buildings, the construction of a new Parliament will be done on priority, with 2022 set as the deadline for completion of the same..“Construction of a new Parliament building has a deadline of 2022. The new Parliament envisaged is a standalone project and can come up even if rest of the project is scrapped,” Mehta told the court..The Centre also made it clear that none of the existing buildings in the Central Vista area will be adversely affected, and that all of them will be preserved..“The policy decision was to build all these (new buildings) without touching the existing heritage properties. Not a brick of existing buildings will be touched,” said Mehta.He also highlighted the plan to change the present Parliament building into a museum. The National Archives building will, however, be modified, he said..The government also argued that a new Central Secretariat building was needed, since most of the central ministries were currently housed in different buildings scattered across the city..“We have to run around the city to go to different ministries, increasing traffic and pollution. The policy decision is that all Central ministries have to be at one place and that place has to be one which has historical significance", Mehta contended..A significant chunk of the Centre’s submissions on Tuesday revolved around concerns regarding environmental and other statutory clearances obtained for the project.It was the Centre’s argument that all environmental concerns have been assuaged and necessary statutory clearances are in place for the project.."If the petitioners' concern is environmental protection, I will say it is fully taken care of”, Mehta said..The hearing will continue tomorrow.