Uttar Pradesh government is currently scouting for an appropriate land parcel to construct a new combined legislative and secretariat building. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is advocating for a spacious facility that can house both houses of the state legislature as well as all the offices currently located in the secretariat buildings. Various options, including land in Vrindavan Yojana and near Nehru Enclave, are under consideration. The state's budget for 2023-2024 has allocated ₹50 crore for an initial feasibility study of this project.
The Uttar Pradesh government is embarking on a fresh quest to identify a suitable location for a new combined legislature and secretariat building for the state. The need for such a facility has arisen due to the space constraints faced by the current Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Bhawan.
Various solutions, including expanding the seating capacity for Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) within the existing Vidhan Sabha Hall, have been explored to address this issue. However, the demand for additional space remains.
According to sources, the decision to launch a new search for a location came after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath rejected the idea of constructing a new building near the current Vidhan Bhawan, which houses the existing Darul Shafa, among other structures. The decision was primarily influenced by the insufficient space available for accommodating the proposed new structure.
An official with knowledge of the situation stated, “Yes, the space around Vidhan Bhawan, including near Darulshafa, is not sufficient to house the new legislature building. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath envisions a substantial building that can accommodate not only the two houses of the state legislature but also all the offices currently situated in secretariat buildings like Bapu Bhawan and Yojana Bhawan. Therefore, a new site search has been initiated, with the consultant HCP, known for designing the Central Vista of Parliament, tasked with exploring alternative options.”
The possibility of utilizing land from the Nawab Wazid Ali Shah Zoological Gardens in Lucknow, which is being relocated to an alternate site in the Kukrail forest area, has not yet been factored into the decision-making process.
The state government is currently evaluating potential sites, including land in Vrindavan Yojana, where the Global Investors Summit-2023 and Defence Expo 2020 were previously held. Additionally, other areas under consideration include certain defense land near Nehru Enclave, the available space near CG Farm, and Janeshwar Mishra Park.
To initiate the preliminary study, the state government has allocated a nominal sum of ₹50 crore in the state’s budget for 2023-2024.
The new building for the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Bhawan is being considered along the lines of the Central Vista in New Delhi. The current Vidhan Bhawan structure was constructed in 1928, with its foundation stone laid by then-Governor Sir Spencer Harcourt Butler on December 15, 1922, and its inauguration taking place on February 21, 1928. A budget of ₹21 lakh was sanctioned for the construction of the Vidhan Bhawan building, exemplifying Indo-European architectural craftsmanship.
