Rs 971 crore Parliament building faces leaks due to heavy rains in Delhi

Congress has called for the setting up of a committee to investigate the structural integrity of the Parliament building, which was completed in May 2023 and had its inaugural session in September

This story has been updated.

The heavy rains in Delhi on Wednesday caused water to leak into the lobby of the newly inaugurated Parliament building, raising concerns about the weather resilience of the structure, which was built at a cost of Rs 971 crore. The construction was completed just last year.

Additionally, waterlogging was noted around the premises, particularly near the New Parliament’s Makar Dwar, with several videos of the flooding going viral on social media.

Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav shared a video of the leaks with the caption: "The old parliament was better than this new parliament, where even the old MPs could come and meet. Why not go back to the old parliament, at least till the time the water dripping program is going on in the parliament built with billions of rupees. People are asking whether water dripping from every new roof constructed under the BJP government is a part of their well thought out design."

Congress MP Manickam Tagore has given adjournment notice in the Lok Sabha, urging the formation of a specialised committee to investigate and address the issue.

Background of the new Parliament building

The foundation stone of the new Parliament building was laid on December 10, 2020, and it was inaugurated on May 28, 2023, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The building was first used for official business on September 19, 2023, during a Parliamentary Special Session where the landmark women's reservation bill was passed.

The need for a new building emerged in the early 2010s due to stability concerns with the older structure, which was a 93-year-old building suffering from inadequate space and structural stability issues. The new Parliament building, constructed to be modern, efficient, and earthquake-resistant, has been designed with a projected lifespan of over 150 years and incorporates diverse Indian architectural styles.

The project, led by HCP Design, Planning and Management Pvt Ltd with architect Bimal Patel, cost an estimated Rs 971 crore and covers an area of 64,500 square meters.

Details of the leakage inside the Parliament

Manickam Tagore’s adjournment notice stated that the water leakage occurred along the path used by the President of India when entering the new Parliament building. He emphasised that the incident highlights “potential issues with the building's weather resilience, just one year after its completion.”

Tagore proposed forming a specialised committee, including MPs from all parties, to inspect the building thoroughly. The committee would investigate the causes of the leaks, evaluate the design and materials used, recommend necessary repairs, establish a maintenance protocol, and ensure transparency by publicly sharing its findings.

The Lok Sabha released a statement addressing these leakages stating that displaced adhesives used to attach glass domes to parts of the building to allow natural light flow, were the cause of the leakage.

The press note said, "... in view the concept of Green Parliament, glass domes have been provided in several parts of the Building, including in the Lobby, so that abundant natural light could be utilised in day to day work of the Parliament.  During the heavy rain on Wednesday, the adhesive material used to fix the glass domes over the Lobby of the Building was slightly displaced, causing minor leakage of water in the Lobby."

"The problem was, however, detected timely and corrective measures were taken immediately.   Thereafter, no further leakage of water has been noticed.  Similarly, accumulated water opposite Makar Dwar also got drained out quickly," the note added.

Previous structural issues with Parliament building

Despite its modern design, the new Parliament building has faced several issues since its inauguration. The special session of Parliament in the new building experienced technical glitches, including snags in the microphones and earphones provided to members of Parliament and a faulty acoustics system that generated echoes in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha chambers.

During its inaugural session, the biometric and barcode security system was not yet activated, leading to confusion and strict entry restrictions in the new Parliament building.

Beautiful but inefficient: MPs struggle to communicate

During the special Parliament session in September 2023, while many appreciated the building’s aesthetic appeal and intricate design work, there were clear signs of work in progress. Some people noted that the huge chambers made it difficult for MPs to interact with each other and the visitors and press galleries, unlike in the old building.

Additionally, the new uniform for the staff was met with dissatisfaction due to its design and quality, and the biometric and barcode security system was not yet activated, leading to confusion and strict entry restrictions.

Specialised committee to investigate leakage

On Thursday, Congress MP Manickam Tagore highlighted that the water leakage could point to potential issues with the building’s weather resilience and called for the formation of a specialised committee to address these concerns. The proposed committee would investigate the causes of the leaks, evaluate the design and materials used, recommend necessary repairs, establish a maintenance protocol, and ensure transparency by publicly sharing its findings.

Parliament session continues amid downpour

Despite the disruption caused by the leakage, the parliamentary proceedings continued as scheduled. Key items on the agenda for Thursday include the introduction of a bill to amend the Disaster Management Act, 2005, in both Houses of Parliament by Amit Shah and Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to move the statutory resolution regarding Section 8A of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975.

The monsoon session of Parliament, which commenced on July 22, is scheduled to conclude on August 12. Despite the heavy rains and ensuing challenges, the legislative business continues to address crucial issues and proposals.