New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday allowed the Centre to go ahead with the proposed foundation stone laying ceremony for the Central Vista project after the government assured it that no construction or demolition work would be done till the apex court decides the pending pleas on the issue.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar that there would be only foundation stone laying ceremony for the project and no construction would commence as of now.
The revamp project, which was announced in September last year, envisages a new triangular Parliament building, with a seating capacity for 900 to 1,200 MPs, and the target is to construct it by August 2022 when the country will be celebrating its 75th Independence Day.
The common Central Secretariat is likely to be built by 2024 as part of the project.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone on December 10 for the new Parliament building and the construction is expected to be completed by 2022 at an estimated cost of Rs 971 crore, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had said December 5.
The top court is seized of pleas which have raised questions over several aspects, including the environmental clearance granted to the project.
PTI
