British Parliament Renovation Plans Face Delays and Cost Increases: A Comparison with India's Efficient Approach

The long-pending renovation plans for the British Parliament, known as the Palace of Westminster, are facing staggering delays as reports show that the revamp will take at least 60 years and cost every taxpayer more than £1,000 (Rs 1.2 lakh) if British MPs refuse to leave while it takes place. According to a report by The Times , proposals handed to British MPs said a “full decant" – which means the parliamentarians vacate the building completely – would take between 19 and 24 years and cost up to £15.6 billion (Rs 1.92 trillion), including inflation. However, if the repairs are done in stages while the Parliament remains active, which has been the preferred option, the renovation process is expected to take as long as 61 years with an estimated cost of £39.2 billion (Rs 4.92 trillion), the most expensive option on the table. The cost will be spread across Britain’s 34.5 million income taxpayers, and the most expensive option would cost £1,136 (Rs 1.39 lakh) each, while a full decant will cost £450 (Rs 55,000). Even an initial seven-year phase of works, which politicians are being asked to approve, would cost close to £100 (around Rs 12,300) per taxpayer, as per The Times. Notably, the Palace of Westminster has not undergone a comprehensive renovation since partial rebuilding after the Second World War, which has led to repeated fire incidents and other hazards. Politicians have been warned there is a “real and rising risk" that the palace could be destroyed by a catastrophic event. How India Did It Faster? The renovation costs and delays have brought the spotlight to India’s new Parliament building, which was inaugurated in 2023 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Vijay Chauthaiwale, in-charge of the BJP’s Department of Foreign Affairs, drew parallels between the British and Indian Parliament renovation. “Full renovation of British parliament (Palace of Westminster) will take 20 years if parliament moves somewhere in transit and will take 60 years if renovation is done in stages while parliament remains functional in same building," he said on X. “In the meantime, India has built its ultra-modern and aesthetically designed new parliament building in three years and started using it." The new Parliament building was completed under three years at an estimated cost of Rs 1,200 by Tata Projects Ltd. It features a grand Constitution Hall that showcases India’s democratic heritage, a lounge for Indian MPs, a library, multiple committee rooms, dining areas, and ample parking space. The new Parliament building is located approximately 750 metres away from the Rashtrapati Bhavan and surrounded by significant landmarks and government buildings. It has a seating capacity of 888 members in the Lok Sabha chamber and 300 members in the Rajya Sabha chamber. How did India manage to build a new Parliament building without disrupting parliamentary proceedings? One of the biggest reasons this worked was that the old House stayed fully operational while the new triangular Parliament building was constructed. Hence, there was no need to relocate MPs or pause sessions. Furthermore, the schedules for the construction of the new building were carefully adjusted around security needs, VIP movement, and Parliament session days. Construction traffic, materials, and workers used completely separate access routes. Once the construction was complete, all Parliament sessions simply moved from the old building to the new one. The first session in India’s new Parliament building commenced on September 19, 2023.