Rahul Narvekar, a BJP leader and MLA from South Mumbai’s Colaba constituency took office as the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker on Monday for the second consecutive term. He has already set his sights on launching the ambitious Maha Vista Project, which includes renovating state legislative buildings to accommodate more lawmakers. Narvekar added that during the next two years, the legislature’s whole operation will be digitalised.
An assembly with a capacity of up to 350 MLAs will be constructed as part of the renovation of Mumbai’s legislative complex. “The project will soon be prioritised,” he stated. He was addressing following his unanimous election to a second term as the speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly without any opposition.
According to Narvekar, he intends to build a central hall on the legislative campus in Nagpur. “Nagpur does not have a central hall, and I believe one needs to be constructed. I’ll work to get it built in Nagpur,” he declared.
The Maharashtra Assembly currently has 288 members. If the seating configurations are adjusted, the House can hold 305–310 MLAs. Nonetheless, the Assembly’s strength could rise to 350, an increase of at least 60 seats, as a delimitation exercise is anticipated to take place by 2026. Soon, a larger home will be required, and the Maha Vista Project, which is modelled after Delhi’s Central Vista project, is expected to receive significant support.
Sources claim that the legislature now owns the open spaces on the legislative site that were formerly used by PWD and revenue. According to a representative of the parliamentary office, “a public road outside the legislative building has also been changed from the development plan and is now in the name of legislature.”
In his budget statement in February 2024, Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar made the initial announcement of the project. The entire Mantralaya, ministers’ mansions, the new Secretariat, and the parliamentary complex are expected to undergo renovations at an estimated cost of Rs 7,500 crore. The state Public Works Department (PWD) issued a worldwide tender in August to solicit ideas for Mantralaya and ministers’ homes.
Additionally, Narvekar stated that he is aware that MLAs have been without housing in MLA hostels for the past six years due to the ongoing renovations at Majestic and Manora MLA dormitories. He stated, “The Manora MLA hostel will be ready in two years, while the Majestic MLA hostel will be ready in one year.”
The Speaker announced that during the next two years, all parliamentary operations will be conducted digitally, with displays placed on each MLA’s desk. “It will be a paperless building from asking enquiries to getting replies from ministers’ offices. The MLAs will also be better prepared thanks to the digital approach,” he stated.
Source: The Indian Express
