How the new Parliament Building is different from old Sansad Bhavan

The new Parliament building will be inaugurated on May 28 where historic Sengol will be handed over to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by the high priests of the Shaivite order. The inauguration ceremony will begin with an early morning havan and a multi-religion prayer. The present building of the Sansad Bhavan was completed in 1927 and is now 96 years old. Over the years, the old building was found to be inadequate for present-day requirements. As Sunday approaches, here's how the new Parliament building is different from the old Sansad Bhavan.

New Parliament with new features

Design of new Parliament

The new Parliament Building reflects the aspirations of 140 crore Indians is building alongside the existing Parliament Building, the Central Vista Project website states. The new Parliament and the old one, which will be restored, will be jointly used to house all facilities that are located in the existing Parliament building. The new building has a built-up area of around 65,000 sqmt. Its triangular shape assures optimum space utilisation.

A bigger Lok Sabha

The Lok Sabha will be three times bigger with ease of sitting for MPs. The Lok Sabha hall may house up to 1,272 seats during joint sessions. It is based on the theme of Peacock, the national bird.

Ample seating space in Rajya Sabha

The upper House of Parliament, which will have a capacity of up to 384 seats, is based on the theme of Lotus, the national flower.

Office spaces and committee rooms

The building will have big offices that are designed to be secure and are equipped with the latest communication technology. The new Sansad Bhavan will also have large committee rooms - purpose-designed spaces to facilitate and deliver higher efficiency.

The Central Lounge

The Central Lounge is created to implement an open courtyard. The open courtyard will have the national tree, the Banyan tree. The space is intended to be a place for members to interact.

Divyang friendly

The new Sansad Bhavan will be accessible to people with disabilities. Divyangs will be able to move around freely and independently.

Energy-efficient Parliament

A platinum-rated Green Building, the new Sansad Bhavan showcases India’s "commitment towards sustainable development."