These members had requested for the meeting to be postponed, “however, keeping in view the importance of the project in nation’s interest and time scale for its implementation the meeting was held as per issued meeting notice”, the minutes said.

The “proposed new Parliament building at Plot No.118, New Delhi” was the only item on the agenda. The item was submitted by CPWD executive engineer for the project Ashwani Mittal for the committee’s consideration. Mr. Mittal then invited the architect of the project, Bimal Patel of the Ahmedabad-based HCP Design, Planning and Management, to present the proposal through videoconferencing.

After Mr. Patel presented the proposal, the panel gave its observation of “no objection, with suggestions that the features of the proposed Parliament building should be in sync with the existing Parliament building”.

Architects body’s plea

Balbir Verma, a representative of the IIA on the committee, said the meeting took place despite “all non-government experts from the IIA and the Institute of Town Planners asking for a postponement and having the meeting after the conditions of movement are eased”.

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