Restoration works at parl house estate using unique technique

Restoration of the Parliament House, whose different structures risked losing their sheen due to continuous exposure to pollution and the sun, has been almost completed using a unique technique which involved steam cleaning and liquid ammonia.

The restoration and conservation works were started in 2014 when the outer wall and other structures at the Sansad Bhawan bore clear signs of wear and tear.

Under the project, areas adjacent to the Sansad Bhawan courtyard, Central Hall, first floor, Lok Sabha Chamber have been restored.

Sources in the Lok Sabha secretariat told PTI that Speaker Sumitra Mahajan today examined the restoration and conservation works and lauded the efforts of the engineers and workers of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD).
 

Liquid ammonia and teepol were used to clean the red sand stone on the Parliament House Estate and then special steam cleaners were used for complete restoration, the sources said.

This is a unique technique which results in opening of the blocked pores of the sand stones. This technique has been used in the restoration of select Roman Catholic Churches, they said.

While the CPWD played key role in the restoration works, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage advised the engineers, the sources said.

"We replaced the tiles in the courtyard number 1. But it was ensured that their design and pattern remain intact during the entire exercise. Also we restored the damages caused due to sulphur dioxide," one of them said.

They said while the restoration of the Central Hall took one-and-a-half month, the works at the Lok Sabha chamber were completed within a month.

"The red sand stone slabs on the first floor of the Sansad Bhawan were also fixed. Also, repair works were carried out in the reporters room. The Reception Hall, which was built in 1975, was made differently-abled-friendly," the source said.

The Parliament House Estate is heritage structure and due care was taken during the restoration exercise to ensure no part of the building is damaged or altered.

The Foundation Stone of the Parliament House was laid in 1921 and its construction took six years. The Parliament House is one of the most magnificent buildings in the national capital and is an architectural gem.