New Delhi: “The Republic Day parade will take place there (Central Vista) and the handover is being done in bits and pieces. It is not an issue,” said Bimal Patel, architect and president of CEPT University in Ahmedabad.
He said that the ₹20,000 crore project, which aims to revamp and modernise iconic central Delhi structures, is on track.
He also confirmed that the new Parliament building will be ready before the winter session in 2022, which marks 75 years of Independence.
Explaining the philosophy behind his style, the architect helming several high-profile projects said that he liked to approach any historically important site with respect and awareness about current-day problems and how to solve them.
“There has to be a respectful approach. However, the fact that it is a historically important site should not paralyse us. We must do what is necessary to transform these places so that they function for us as well today,” he said.
“If one takes a simple approach like that, I think one comes up with solutions that make sense today but with a lot of respect for the history and ethos of the place,” he added.
Patel gave the example of the central vista project, the centrepiece of which is a new Parliament building fitted with modern amenities for a higher number of lawmakers than what the current facility is capable of housing. He mentioned that people using the current iconic circular Parliament building, which was built in the British era in 1925, had long complained about several difficulties, going back to 2012.
“The place is stressed. It was never meant to be Parliament. It was meant to be a council house. In a hall that was meant to seat 150 people, we put in 543 people. The installation of modern infrastructure has damaged the building in many parts. These are functional issues that need to be addressed,” he said.
