What's special about the new Parliament building

The newly constructed Parliament building that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate on May 28 has been built at a cost of Rs. 970 crore, and the upcoming Monsoon Session in July is expected to be held there. Built by Tata Projects, the triangular-shaped four-story structure is built on 64,500 square meters and has the capacity to house 1,224 MPs.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday invited PM Modi to inaugurate the building. The new Parliament building will have three main gates—Gyan Dwar, Skati Dwar, and Karma Dwar—with separate entrances for VIPs, MPs, and visitors. It also houses a grand Constitution Hall showcasing India's democratic heritage, apart from a lounge for MPs, multiple committee rooms, a library, and a dining area.

Additionally, the marshals of both Houses will have new dress codes for the new Parliament building. Last year in June, PM Modi unveiled the national emblem cast at the top of the Central Foyer of the new Parliament building. It is made of bronze, weighs 9,500 kg, and is 6.5 m tall. Later in September 2022, Rajpath was rechristened as Kartavya Path.

In a communique, the government said that the new parliament building symbolizes the spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat or a self-reliant India. Two days after the inauguration, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will organize a month-long special contact campaign and senior leaders will hold 51 public meetings across the country to mark nine years of PM Modi assuming power since 2014.

With the 2024 Lok Sabha elections just a year away, the program is being viewed as a major attempt by the saffron party to retain power. The Congress has called the new Parliament building a "personal vanity project" of PM Modi. Congress MP Manickam Tagore said, "Now when mikes are switched off for Opposition. What's the use of this."