NEW DELHI

13 April 2020 22:59 IST

Consultants working digitally and there are no major disruptions, says contractor

The Centre’s plan to construct a new Parliament building by August 2022 is on track and the tender for the project would be floated after the lockdown is lifted, according to the architects of the project.

Also read | Govt. explains the need for a new Parliament building

The design, which is proposed to be triangular and located near the Parliament House, as of now is sufficient for issuing tenders, while the process for the detailed design would run concurrent with the selection of a contractor, HCP Design, Planning and Management said in a written response to a query by The Hindu. The Ahmedabad-based firm had been selected by the Union Housing and Urban Affair Ministry’s construction agency, the Central Public Works Department, in October 2019 to be its consultant for the revamp of the Central Vista and construction of the new Parliament and the Central Secretariat. Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said the building would be ready before the Independence Day, 2022.

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Asked if the project had been delayed due to the lockdown, the HCP said the CPWD, the MoHUA and the consultants were able to work digitally and that there were no major disruptions. It said the initial deadline for completing the building would be met. The tendering process was under way, it said.

Recently, several leaders including Congress president Sonia Gandhi have urged the government to postpone or cancel the project as the country grapples with the pandemic and its economic impact.

In preparation for the project, the government had changed the land-use for the 9.5-acre plot next to the existing heritage Parliament House on March 20 and applied for environment clearance on February 12. The project has been listed for consideration before the Union Environment Ministry’s expert committee on April 22. While submitting its revised form for clearance on March 12, the CPWD said the project cost had gone up from ₹776 crore to ₹922 crore due to a change in the specifications.

A petition by Rajeev Suri against the change in the land use for the project by the Delhi Development Authority remained pending before the Supreme Court as of Monday.