SC bars Central Vista project work till its order; Allows new Parliament's stone-laying

The Supreme Court on Monday expressed its displeasure over the way the Central government is going ahead with construction work for the Central Vista project while it is still in the process of hearing a batch of petitions challenging it. 

After reserving its judgment on the petitions on November 5, the Supreme Court listed the case on Monday after word of developments reached the public domain - specifically over the impending foundation stone-laying ceremony on December 10. The Apex court said that no construction should be done in the area till its judgment. The Centre, via Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, assured the Supreme Court that there would be no construction or demolition in the Central Vista plan unless the top court passes an order.

The court has permitted the Centre to go ahead with the paperwork of the project and the foundation stone laying ceremony on December 10. "We thought we are dealing with a prudent litigant and deference will be shown. Just because there is no stay it does not mean that you can go head with everything", Justice A M Khanwilkar told the Solicitor General.

The redevelopment project of Central Vista -- the nation's power corridor -- envisages a new triangular Parliament building, a common central secretariat and revamping of the 3-km-long Rajpath, from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate.

PM Modi to lay foundation stone for new Parliament Building

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone on December 10 for a new Parliament building and the construction is expected to be completed by 2022 at an estimated cost of Rs 971 crore, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said on Saturday.

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"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," Birla said announcing details of the new proposed building. "The new building will showcase the cultural diversity of the country. Hopefully, in the 75th year of independence (2022), Parliament session will be held in the new building," he said.

Birla said the new building will be earthquake resistant and 2000 people will be directly involved in the construction of the new building and 9,000 indirectly. He said as many as 1,224 MPs can sit together in the building, while a new office complex for all MPs of both the houses would be built at the site of the existing Shram Shakti Bhawan. The existing Parliament building will be conserved as it is an archaeological asset of the country, Birla said.

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