Congress Chief Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, “The Rs 13,450 crore Central Vista Project is not a legalistic issue but a case of misplaced priorities of a whimsical autocrat seeking to etch his name in the annals of history with cement and mortar.”

 

The Congress leader said it is ironic that in times of the corona pandemic and economic recession, Delhi has Rs 14,000 crore for the Central Vista and Rs 8,000 crore for buying aircrafts for PM. “But the same BJP Govt imposes cuts of Rs 37,530 crore in allowances of 113 lakh Armed Forces and Central Govt Employees and Pensioners,” he tweeted.

 

The Congress leader said the Prime Minister must not forget that he has imposed cuts of Rs 11,000 crore on 15 lakh soldiers and 26 lakh military pensioners and the same BJP government at the Centre has no time to provide ‘heated tents and equipment’ to our soldiers braving brazen the Chinese incursions in Ladakh.

 

On Tuesday a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court cleared the redevelopment plan for the Central Vista with a 2:1 majority on Tuesday, although with riders.

 

The bench held that there were “no infirmities in clearances given, change in land use and the environmental clearances”. However, it imposed some riders like clearance from the heritage conservation committee.

 

The project envisages a new Parliament building, with a seating capacity of up to 1,200 MPs. The project is estimated to be constructed by August 2022, when the country will celebrate its 75th Independence Day.

 

On December 10, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone for the new Parliament building. The construction is expected to cost around Rs 971 crore and the common Central Secretariat is likely to be built by 2024.