Parliament's Central Hall poses evacuation challenges, CPWD to SC

Citing the expansion of the Lok Sabha in future, the CPWD said it is likely to increase substantially after 2026, as the freeze on the total number of seats is only till that year

The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has informed the Supreme Court that the Central Hall of Parliament poses a challenge for rescue and evacuation operations in certain conditions during an emergency.

The CPWD pointed out that the hall has a seating capacity for only 440 persons and during joint sessions, large numbers of seats have to be arranged in the aisles. "This arrangement undermines the dignity of the institution and poses challenges for evacuation during emergent conditions, as movements are highly restricted," said the CPWD in a counter-affidavit in the apex court in reply to a petition against the Central