The Parliament of India

The supreme legislative body of the Republic of India is The Parliament of India (or Sansad) is bicameral. It is located in New Delhi at Sansad Marg. This is. Indian Parliament consists of two houses - the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha - and the President of India.

The Parliament House(Sansad Bhavan) is a circular structure designed by the British Architect Edwin Lutyens in 1911. The roof of the outer circle of the structure is supported by 257 granite pillars. The Houses are located on Janpath, a stone's throw away from the presidential palace (Rashtrapati Bhavan).

Parliament House Estate includes the Parliament House, Reception Office building, Sansadiya Gyanpeeth (Parliament Library Building), Parliament House Annexe and the extensive lawns around it where ponds with fountains have been provided. Special floral decoration is done at important points in the building during sessions of Parliament as well as on other important occasions.

The design of the building was done by famous architects- Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker-who were responsible for the planning and construction of New Delhi. On 12th February of 1921, The Foundation Stone of Parliament House was laid by H.R.H. The Duke of Connaught. The construction of the building took six years and the opening ceremony was performed on the 18th January, 1927 by the then Governor-General of India, Lord Irwin. The cost of construction was Rs. 83 lakhs.

About the Construction of The Parliament House is a massive circular edifice 560 feet in diameter. Its circumference is one-third of a mile 536.33 metres and it covers an area of nearly six acres. The open verandah on the first floor is fringed with a colonnade of 144 creamy sandstone columns-each 27 feet high. The building has twelve gates among which Gate No. 1 on the Sansad Marg is the main gate.

About the Construction of The Parliament House is a massive circular edifice 560 feet in diameter. Its circumference is one-third of a mile 536.33 metres and it covers an area of nearly six acres. The open verandah on the first floor is fringed with a colonnade of 144 creamy sandstone columns-each 27 feet high. The building has twelve gates among which Gate No. 1 on the Sansad Marg is the main gate.

The Parliament house building was designed by Shri J.M. Benjamin, Chief Architect, CPWD, and the structure is R.C.C. framed with waffle-slab construction. The building is modern, functional, economical and dignified. The foundation-stone of Parliament House Annexe was laid on the 3 August 1970 by Shri V.V. Giri, President of India. It was inaugurated on 24 October 1975 by Shrimati Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister.

The building has 3 wings-front, rear and central blocks besides a covered plaza for car parking in front of it. The front and rear blocks are 3-storeyed and the central block is 6-storeyed with terrace.

The house has:

• Front Block
  
• Central Block

Committee Rooms

Refreshment Rooms on ground floor.

Milk Bar on ground floor.
Banquet Hall and Private Dining Room on ground floor for special parties functions.
Medical Examination Centre.

State Bank of India on ground floor.

Post Office on basement floor.

Multipurpose Hall on ground floor.

Lounges on basement and ground floors.

Income-Tax Cell
Telecom Bureau

The other facilities housed in the building are:

• Library with stack area for housing three million volumes;
  
• Research and Reference Division;

Computer Centre;

Press and Public Relations Service;
Media Centre;
Press Briefing Room;

Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training;
Audio Visual Library;

Parliamentary Museum and Archives;
Auditorium with a capacity of 1,067 persons;
Committee and Conference rooms;
Banquet Hall;
Parking for 212 cars.