Mumbai, Dec 9 (IANS): After taking over as Maharashtra Speaker for the second consecutive time, the BJP legislator from Colaba constituency Rahul Narwekar on Monday revealed his ambitious plan for the launch of the Maha Vista Project which includes construction of a new legislature building with a sitting capacity for 350 legislators.
The proposed new building will be developed adjacent to the existing Vidhan Bhavan which is situated at the Nariman Point.
“The existing Vidhan Bhavan became functional in 1980. The Lower House can accommodate 300 members but the new building will have a sitting capacity for 350 members at a time in a more comfortable manner,” said Rahul Narwekar after his unanimous election as the Assembly Speaker.
He further announced that the entire functioning of the legislature will be digitised within the next two years.
Narwekar also announced his plan to construct a central hall at Nagpur's legislative campus. “There has been no central hall in Nagpur and I think it should be built. I will push for the construction of the same at Nagpur,” he said.
The present strength of the Maharashtra Assembly is 288. The House can accommodate around 305-310 MLAs with some changes in sitting arrangements.
However, with the delimitation exercise likely to happen by 2026, the strength of the Assembly may increase up to 350 with an increase of at least 60 seats. A bigger House is going to be a necessity in the near future and the Maha Vista Project on the lines of the Central Vista project in Delhi is set to get a big push.
The project was first announced in February 2024 by Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar in his budget speech. At an estimated cost of Rs 7500 crore, the entire Mantralaya, ministers' bungalow, new secretariate and legislative complex will be revamped.
In August, the state Public Works Department (PWD) a global tender for designs of ministers' bungalows and Mantralaya was sought. Tenders for the redevelopment of Vidhan Bhavan will be invited in future.
Narwekar said that he is aware that the legislators have been left without the MLA hostel for six years now as the redevelopment of Majestic and Manora MLA hostels is underway. “The Majestic MLA hostel will be ready in one year while the Manora MLA hostel will be ready within two years,” he said.
With screens installed on the desks of all MLAs, the Speaker said that the entire legislative functioning will be made digital within the next two years.
“From submitting questions to receiving answers from ministers' offices, it will be a paperless building. The digital process will help the MLAs to come prepared as well,” he said.
Narwekar said that at present library and reference sections are being digitised and at the click of a button the members can access legislative records.