The environment ministry’s expert appraisal committee (EAC) on constructions, townships and area development projects had recently met to discuss environmental clearance for the expansion and renovation of the existing Parliament building and various other infrastructural projects.
As per a Hindustan Times report, the committee’s decision regarding the Parliament project will not be made immediately and will take some time.
“The decision is not final until minutes are drafted. It will take a week. We have to hear 15 more projects tomorrow and day after also,” the report quoted the EAC chairman T Haque as saying.
The estimated cost for the for the expansion and renovation of the existing Parliament building is Rs 922 crore and is a part of the Centre’s ambitious Central Vista redevelopment project.
Apart from the construction of the Parliament, the other sub-projects included in the Central Vista redevelopment project are construction of a new Central secretariat complex for ministries, and new residences for the Prime Minister and the Vice President.
LokPATH (people for Appropriate Transformation of Habitat), a collective of urban development experts and civil society members had recently written to the EAC stating that it would be wasteful and cruel to commence the Parliament project when the country is in a turmoil due to the coronavirus pandemic.
It also stated that the Centre should now spend on medical facilities during this time.
Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus cases in India surged to 23077 on Friday and 718 deaths were reported so far.