She has written to Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu asking him to consider initiating action for construction of a new Parliament building and suggested two options for the alternative site, one within the Parliament complex itself and another across the Rajpath, sources told PTI here today.
The sources said the possible follow-up to the letter is that the Urban Development Ministry will prepare a note for the Cabinet where the matter could be considered.
The sources explained that the number of seats in Lok Sabha may go up after 2026 because of this clause in Article 81 which determines representation on the basis of population determined by the last census (possibly 2021 census).
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With the expanding scope of Parliamentary oversight
functions, increase in number of committees and security requirements, the demand for space has increased several times, the Speaker has underlined.
There are also plans, keeping in view the technological advancements, to equip the MPs with latest gadgets to enable them to make the best possible use of technological tools available and to make Parliament paperless, she said.
Since the building has been declared as 'Heritage Grade-I' structure, there are several limitations on the structural repairs, additions, alterations and modifications to it, the Speaker has said.
She gave two options for the new building. One option for construction of the new building would be within the Parliament complex itself which would require relocation of certain facilities and services, she said.
She suggested that an underground link beneath Rajpath may be constructed to provide connectivity between the existing building and the proposed new complex.
About a year back, a suggestion to build a new Parliament was reportedly made at a meeting of Budget Committee of Parliament including Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha M Thambidurai, Public Accounts Committee Chairman K V Thomas and Estimates Committee Chairman Murli Manohar Joshi.
Thomas had said that the existing building was "old" and a new Parliament building should be thought of as provision needed to be made for the next 100 years.