Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with the workers at the construction site of the new Parliament building in Delhi late Sunday evening. In a video shared by Prime Minister's Office (PMO), PM Modi can be seen clad in a white kurta-churidar along with a safety helmet. He visited the construction site of the Central Vista project to inspect the work-in progress. During his visit, the Prime Minister can be seen enquiring from the workers and the officials present on the site about the construction. He can also be seen evaluating the plans of the site. In one such interaction, a worker is seen seeking blessings from the Prime Minister as well.
The visit took place at 8.45 pm yesterday and the Prime Minister spent around an hour at the site. This was Prime Minister's first visit to the new parliament building site. The building, whose construction began amid the Covid pandemic, is being built at an estimated cost of Rs 971 crore. The project, which has received a lot of criticism from the opposition parties, is estimated to be completed by 2022. The Centra Vista project includes building a new Parliament and central government offices, as well as the refurbishment of the North and South Blocks. It is being constructed in an area of 64,500 square metres.
Last week, PM Modi while inaugurating the new Defence Ministry offices in Delhi took a swipe at the opposition over the project, accusing them of trying to "sabotage" the project. "We all saw how some people tried to sabotage the important Central Vista project... how they ran personal agendas to spread misinformation. But not once did they speak about the condition of these hutments... from where our ministries work. Not once did they mention the new Defence Ministry complexes and how crucial they are," the Prime Minister said. The Congress party has urged the government to halt the project and instead prioritize upgrading medical infrastructure in the country.