BJD welcomes SC verdict on new Central Vista project, calls it 'pride of the nation'

The Biju Janata Dal on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court verdict approving the Central Vista Project under which the new Parliament building is to be built. BJD national spokesperson Prasanna Acharya said that the government should go ahead with the project adding that such projects are the pride of the nation and are taken up once in a century. He condemned those who are opposing the project.

"Such projects are taken up once or twice in a century. Whatever you see today including the Parliament building, is more than a hundred years old so I think it is high time to go for the new structure of all these things because India is the largest democracy in the world. Indian Parliament is one of the oldest institutions in the democracy," he said.

"Some people are of the view that big projects should not be taken up since COVID has already impacted our economy. But I think these projects are taken not in one or two years but once or twice in a century. These projects are the pride of the nation so I think the government should not hesitate in this matter anymore," he said.

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Supreme Court judgement on Central Vista

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court pronounced the judgement on the Central Vista project. A bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna gave its approval for the project in a 2:1 judgment. Pronouncing the verdict on the batch of pleas which have questioned several aspects including the environmental clearance granted to the ambitious project, Justice Khanwilkar said that the exercise of the Central Government under DDA Act is legal and valid and the impugned notification stands confirmed. He also said that the Recommendation by the Environmental Committee is also just and legal. While Justices AM Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari had the majority opinion, Justice Khanna gave a separate judgment.

While Justice Khanna agreed with justice Khanwilkar on the notice inviting bid and award of the project, he differed in his judgement over seeking prior approval of Heritage Conservation Committee as the same had not been sought from the aforementioned Committee.

The Central Government has proposed to develop a new parliament building along with a new residential complex that will house the Prime Minister and the Vice-President. The project will also have several new office buildings and a Central Secretariat to accommodate Ministry offices.

(with inputs from ANI)

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