A new building for Secretariat?

The construction of India’s new Parliament, Central Vista, began when the current Parliament building became 90 years old. Though Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, laid the foundation stone of the new Parliament building in 2020, the demand for a new building was there for ten years. The main reason for such a demand was primarily security concerns.

Nowadays, modern guns and fire-power are being used which are more advanced and lethal than the previous generation ones. Moreover, our Parliament had once come under attack by terrorists. When taking into consideration these things, the need for a new Parliament building is essential for the present times.

There was stiff opposition against the construction of the new Parliament building by the opposition party including the CPI(M). They even went to the Supreme Court against the government’s decision. Finally, the construction began after Supreme Court gave its permission. The construction is about to be completed. The total cost of its construction is around Rs.900 crores.

The new Parliament building can boast state-of-the-art technology with all the necessary systems in place. In the future, every Indian citizen will feel proud of the grand new Parliament building that we have built for ourselves.

Most of the Secretariats in Indian states are housed in buildings that were built during the British era. Though these buildings were built by maintaining high standards of architecture, it must also be said that such buildings are not capable enough to satisfy the needs of the modern world.

It is from this perspective that we must think if a new Secretariat building is needed in Kerala. Our Secretariat building is 150 years old. As every person has an age limit, so do buildings have an age limit. No one who is opposing the construction of the new Secretariat building is staying in a house built by their forefathers 150 years ago. They can enjoy the changes of age and time but our Secretariat building must not change. This is pure hypocrisy.

A new Secretariat building is necessary which can maintain the systems to run E-governance and also facilities for a helicopter to land. We must build a Secretariat that can be used for future generations. If there are differences in the architectural design then they must be settled. For that, the plans and designs of the proposed building must be put in the public domain to be discussed with the people. The government must not refrain from doing so just because it faces some criticisms from some quarters.

It was personal enmity and ego that made Jayalalithaa convert the new Secretariat built by Karunanidhi in Tamil Nadu into a medical college. That building was not designed to function as a medical college. We must not make such mistakes. It was the Administrative Reforms Commission, which had suggested a new Secretariat building.

It is foolishness to oppose this decision just like we oppose everything. One prominent opposition leader has accused that the construction of the new Secretariat is intended to siphon off Rs.2 lakh crore. The new Parliament building itself won’t cost Rs.1000 crores. Then how can our Secretariat cost Rs.2 lakhs crore?