India gets new Parliament building: 10 things you should know about the complex

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the country's new Parliament building in Delhi. The building, which was built at a cost of Rs 971 crore, can accommodate 888 members in the Lok Sabha and 300 members in the Rajya Sabha.

Here are 10 things you should know about the new Parliament building:

• The new building is triangular in shape to ensure optimum space utilization, according to the Central Vista Redevelopment Project’s website.
• The new Parliament will have a “Constitutional hall”, which is a new addition to the framework. It puts citizens “at the heart of democracy,” the Central Vista Project website states.
• The new complex is a “platinum-rated green building” focusing on energy efficiency. It showcases India's 'commitment towards sustainable development'.
• The new parliament is also “Divyang friendly”. It features a central lounge to complement the open courtyard and is meant for members to interact.
• The theme of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha is based on the national bird (peacock) and national flower (lotus) respectively.
• The new complex has been designed in an “ultra-modern” fashion and geared with the latest communications technologies. It will also have larger committee rooms for enhanced efficiency.
• The building contains a thoughtfully designed library to provide a “superior experience” to the members of both Houses.
• The materials used in the construction of the building have been sourced from all over the country, thus imbibing the spirit of “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat”.
• The red and white sandstone used in the making of the building has been procured from Rajasthan's Sarmathura whereas Kesaria green stone, installed inside the Lok Sabha chamber, has been brought from Udaipur. The furniture was manufactured in Mumbai and the materials used in sculpting the Ashoka Emblem were brought from Aurangabad and Jaipur.
• It also used manufactured sand or M-sand from Charkhi Dadri in Haryana for creating a concrete mix for construction activities.