“The Parliament building is beautiful and attractive, but unfortunately, its construction is hollow.”
Heavy rains in Delhi on Wednesday resulted in water leaking into the lobby of the newly inaugurated Parliament building, raising alarms about its weather resilience. The building, which cost ₹971 crore, was completed only last year.
The leaks were particularly noticeable around the New Parliament’s Makar Dwar, and several videos of the flooding quickly spread on social media. Waterlogging was also reported in other areas surrounding the Parliament premises.
Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav criticized the new structure, sharing a video of the leaks and suggesting that the old Parliament was superior. He questioned whether the recurring issues with new roofs under the BJP government were part of a flawed design.
The new Parliament building, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 28, 2023, and used for the first time during a special session on September 19, 2023, was constructed to replace the 93-year-old Parliament House. Designed to be modern, earthquake-resistant, and with a projected lifespan of over 150 years, the building covers 64,500 square meters and was led by architect Bimal Patel under HCP Design, Planning and Management Pvt Ltd.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore highlighted the incident, noting that the water leakage occurred along the path used by the President of India. He suggested forming a specialized committee, including MPs from all parties, to inspect the building’s weather resilience. This committee would investigate the causes of the leaks, evaluate the design and materials, recommend repairs, and establish a maintenance protocol.
The Lok Sabha attributed the leaks to displaced adhesives used to attach glass domes designed to enhance natural light. According to their statement, the issue was promptly addressed, and no further leakage has been observed.
The new Parliament building has faced other challenges since its inauguration, including technical issues during the special session, such as problems with microphones, earphones, and acoustics. Additionally, the biometric and barcode security system was not yet operational, causing confusion.
Despite these setbacks, the parliamentary proceedings continued as planned. Key items on the agenda for Thursday include the introduction of bills to amend the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and to move a statutory resolution regarding Section 8A of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975.
The ongoing monsoon session of Parliament, which began on July 22, is set to conclude on August 12. The legislative business continues amidst the challenges posed by the heavy rains and associated issues.
