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New Delhi: The
85-year-old Parliament House, one of New Delhi's iconic buildings
and tourist landmarks, is getting old and needs to be preserved as
a heritage for future generations and a public debate is required
on its future use, Lok Sabha secretary general T.K. Viswanathan
feels.
"It is an old structure... it has to be preserved as a heritage...
future generations should not slam us," Viswanathan told IANS in
an interview.
The parliament rotunda was designed by architects Sir Edwin
Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker who were responsible for the
planning and construction of New Delhi after it was chosen as the
site for the new capital of the British colonial rulers in 1911.
The foundation stone of Parliament House was laid on Feb 12, 1921,
by the Duke of Connaught.
The construction of the building took six years and the opening
ceremony was performed on Jan 18, 1927 by then governor general of
India, Lord Irwin. The building then cost only Rs.83 lakhs (Rs 8.3
million).
Stressing on the need for a new parliament building, he said it is
time to start a public debate on the issue as the people should
also give inputs on where the new building should be located.
"Identifying a location for a new parliament building and its
construction is going to take at least 10 years...there should be
a public debate on the issue as it involves public sentiments,"
insists Viswanathan. He said the debate should also involve
experts who can also suggest ways to reinforce the existing
structure.
"If people do not favour moving the parliament to a new building,
this option would have to be explored," Viswanathan added.
Arguing in favour of a new building, he said the number of
representatives of the people and of the states in parliament will
go up in future and this needs to be catered to.
"The number of MPs in the two houses is based on the census of
1971. After 2026, there would be a need to revise the strength of
both houses of parliament. We would then need a bigger building,"
Viswanathan said.
The Lok Sabha now has 545 members and the Rajya Sabha 245.
The authorities are grappling with another problem after the Delhi
Fire Service refused to give a no objection certificate to the
kitchen on the first floor of the parliament building which serves
parliamentarians, journalists and the employees of the complex.
According to Viswanathan, the kitchen stores around 30 cooking gas
cylinders at a given time and the fire department viewed this as a
hazard. The authorities subsequently shut down the kitchen.
"No food will be cooked in the kitchen...instead, food prepared in
the kitchen of the (adjacent) library building will be served to
the MPs and journalists," said Viswanathan.
He said piped gas is an option but its installation will take some
time.
(Amit Agnihotri
can be contacted at amit.a@ians.in)
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