Raipur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the new building of the Chhattisgarh legislative assembly in Nava Raipur Atal Nagar here. Prior to that, the PM also unveiled a statue of former prime minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the premises of the newly-built assembly complex. He was accompanied by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Chhattisgarh Assembly Speaker Raman Singh, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Leader of Opposition in state Assembly Charan Das Mahant. PM Modi is on a day-long visit to Chhattisgarh. The state assembly which began its journey from a private school in Raipur in 2000, the year the state was carved out of Madhya Pradesh, is now moving into its own grand, modern and eco-friendly building. Spread over 51 acres in Nava Raipur and constructed at a cost of Rs 324 crore, the new Vidhan Sabha complex is not just a building, but a symbol of Chhattisgarh's cultural identity and progressive spirit, an official statement said.
Designed as a blend of traditional art and modern engineering, the structure embodies the essence of a land rich in tradition and innovation, it said. Sandeep Shrivastava, the architect of the new assembly building, said that the building has been constructed keeping in mind both current and future needs and facilities. The ceiling of the main assembly hall features intricately-carved motifs of rice grains and leaves, representing Chhattisgarh's identity as the 'Rice Bowl of India'. Most of the doors and furniture have been handcrafted by skilled wood artisans from Bastar, giving the complex a distinctly local touch, he said. The building is divided into three wings. Wing-A houses the assembly secretariat, Wing-B includes the main chamber, Central Hall, and offices of the Speaker and the Chief Minister, while Wing-C accommodates offices of all ministers, he said. Built with energy-efficient and green construction technology, the complex integrates a solar power plant and two rainwater harvesting ponds, ensuring sustainability for generations to come, he said. Government officials said there is a 500-seat state-of-the-art auditorium and a 100-seater Central Hall for high-level deliberations in the complex. Equipped for a paperless assembly in the future, the new building combines modern amenities with technological foresight, they said. Every corridor, wall and artwork within the premises tells a story of Chhattisgarh about its crafts, culture, and people. The architecture reflects not only the state's glorious heritage but also its aspirations for a forward-looking, self-reliant future, they said. "This isn't just an assembly building. It's where the dreams of 30 million people will take shape," a government official said. The first session of the Chhattisgarh legislative assembly was held inside the Jashpur Hall in Rajkumar College (a school), Raipur. Subsequently, the assembly was shifted to a government building on the outskirts of the capital on the Raipur-Baloda Bazar Road. The first legislative assembly of Chhattisgarh had 91 members, of whom 90 were elected by the people and one was a nominated member (from the Anglo-Indian community). The state assembly currently has 90 members.