Union Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday visited the Central Vista Avenue and New Parliament construction sites to take stock of the ongoing revamp project. Praising the workers, the lawmaker also shared photos from the location.
The project intends to revamp 86 acres in the national capital, which includes Rajpath, Parliament House, Rashtrapati Bhavan, India Gate, North Block, South Block, Shastri Bhavan and Udyog Bhavan. Work had begun in January this year, after the project was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2020.
The project aims for completion by 2024 and will see the construction of a new Parliament building, a common secretariat for Central government offices, the Prime Minister's Office, and residence, the Special Protection Group building, and the Vice-President Enclave.
"The current Parliament building is historic. Many decisions have been taken there. However, there was no scope of redevelopment of the present premise, hence, there was a requirement of a new building. Hence the houses requested and the government acted upon it," Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla told news agency ANI last week.
Over the last several months, as work continued amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdown, nuumerous Opposition leaders have spoken out against the initiative.
"Does Modi Govt even feel the pain and suffering? No money for compensation to COVID-19 victim families but Rs 20,000 crore are being spent on Central Vista and a palace for prime minister. And where are the Rs 3,89,662 crore collected in the year 2020-21 from the loot in prices of petrol and diesel?" tweeted Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala at the end of last week.
(With inputs from agencies)
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