A fountainhead of the people’s hopes and aspirations

Source- The post is based on the article “A fountainhead of the people’s hopes and aspirations” published in “The Indian Express” on 27th May 2023.

Syllabus: GS2- Polity

News– India is set to witness a historic moment with the inauguration of the new Parliament House on May 28. We finally have a new structure in independent India.

What is the importance of the new Parliament building?

It reflects the vision and aspirations of a country that has evolved significantly since 1947. The new building will be another extension of the existing Parliament complex to signify the spirit of change and continuity.

The old building gave direction to independent India, while the new one will witness the making of India as ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.

What are the changes made in the old building?

The main Parliament House, inaugurated in 1927, consists of the circular-shaped structure. Two more floors were added to this building in 1956 to accommodate more staff and other offices.

The need for yet more office space led to the construction of the Parliament Annexe in 1975. In 2002, the Parliament Library was added to the complex. For similar reasons, an extension of the Parliament Annexe was constructed in 2016.

What are the challenges faced due to the old building of Parliament?

Despite the new constructions in the Parliament, the need for modern facilities in the main Parliament House remained unfulfilled.

There is a shortage of space inside the Parliament House. It had to be retrofitted multiple times, which left little space for further improvements.

The inner ceilings of both the Chambers and the Central Hall were provided with safety nettings to prevent any tiles and plaster from falling down. There are multiple wirings for computers, air conditioners and security gadgets.

The Presiding Officers of the past have also emphasised the need to find a better solution. In 2012, the Speaker, Meira Kumar approved a high-powered committee to look for an alternative complex.

In 2015, the Speaker, Sumitra Mahajan, wrote to the Minister for Urban Affairs to have a new Parliament building with modern facilities.

What are major changes in the new Parliament for meeting the needs of current times?

The new building is more spacious, energy-efficient, and accessible. It has the most updated technology, which makes it well-equipped for future needs as well.

In the new building, we will be able to accommodate various languages with state-of-the-art facilities for simultaneous interpretations. There are better features for audio-visual communication as compared to the existing Parliament.

Better gadgets, access to an e-library, and important reports will be easily accessible for members from their seats. This will enhance the capacity of legislators and improve the efficiency of the Secretariats of Parliament.

The building has publicly accessible museum-grade galleries and a Constitution Hall that showcases India’s age-old history of democracy.

Adequate functional space and modern facilities for the members will contribute to reducing friction and enabling serious discussions. As this complex expands, each member will have their own dedicated space for interacting with people from their constituencies.

How does the new Parliament inspire for a better future?

The inauguration of a new Parliament building presents an opportunity to seriously introspect on our parliamentary conduct to make Parliament more efficient and productive.

The trend of increasing disruptions and deadlock is antithetical to the demand for politics for complex governance challenges of our time.

It would work as a lighthouse to guide us in our ambitious journey to build ‘Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat.’