CM, Speaker finalise site for new Vidhan Sabha building

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Chandigarh, June 4

After pursuing for more than a year with Chandigarh authorities a location for the new Haryana Vidhan Sabha building, Speaker Gian Chand Gupta, along with CM Manohar Lal Khattar, today finalised one of the three sites offered by the Chandigarh Administration.

Holding a press conference, Gupta said, “In the present building, we can’t provide modern facilities. During the Covid pandemic, we had to make our members sit in the visitors’ gallery. We don’t have separate space for ministers to sit. After delimitation in 2026, the strength of the House could go up. So we need a new Vidhan Sabha building.”

Site will cost around Rs 550 crore

We were offered three sites — near IT park, near Kalagram in Manimajra and on the road from railway light point to IT park. The site from railway light point to IT park is of 10 acres and is seven minutes away from the civil secretariat. On Saturday, I visited the site with the CM. It is better than the other two sites. —Gian Chand Gupta, Assembly Speaker

He added that the first time he wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah for a site was on July 1, 2021. Thereafter, he approached Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, CM Manohar Lal Khattar and even the Punjab Governor. Khattar had approached Shah too.

After a meeting of the Chandigarh Administrator, Adviser to Administrator, Home Secretary and Finance Secretary on June 2, we were offered three sites — near IT park, near Kalagram in Manimajra and on the road from railway light point to IT park, said Gupta.

The site from railway light point to IT park is of 10 acres and is seven minutes away from Civil Secretariat. “Today, I visited the site along with CM Manohar Lal Khattar. It is better than the other two sites.”

Gupta informed that either Haryana would exchange 10-acre land with Chandigarh or would offer an amount at collector’s rate. “It will cost around Rs 550 crore,” said Gupta.

He clarified that within the existing Vidhan Sabha building in the Capitol Complex, there was no scope for expansion as it was a heritage building. “The Capitol Complex is a UNESCO World Heritage site,” he said.