New Delhi:

Parliamentarians will be welcomed into the new Parliament building tomorrow with a special hamper. The special session of Parliament began today at the old premises and will move to the revamped complex tomorrow.

The hamper comprises a jute bag containing a copy of the Constitution, a stamp, and a commemorative coin. The names of the MPs are inscribed on the jute bags.

Parliament proceedings will move to the new building tomorrow. The old building has witnessed some historic events, including the adoption of the Constitution. It was completed in 1927 and is now 96 years old. Over the years, it was found to be inadequate for present-day requirements.

On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to “every brick” of the old building in his speech in Lok Sabha and said that the MPs will enter the new building with “new hope and confidence”.

The new Parliament building was inaugurated by PM Modi this May.

The new complex can comfortably seat 888 members in the Lok Sabha chamber and 300 in the Rajya Sabha chamber. For a joint sitting of both the Houses, 1,280 MPs can be accommodated in the Lok Sabha chamber.

The triangular-shaped four-storeyed building has a built-up area of 64,500 square metres. It has three main gates – Gyan Dwar, Shakti Dwar, and Karma Dwar – and separate entrances for VIPs, MPs, and visitors.