New Delhi: As torrential rains lashed Delhi on Wednesday evening, the newly inaugurated Parliament building faced an unexpected test. Water was seen dripping from the lobby’s ceiling, swiftly becoming a hot topic on social media as Opposition MPs seized the opportunity to criticize the government.
Government’s Swift Response
The government quickly addressed the issue, with a statement from the Lok Sabha Secretariat describing the leakage as “minor” and assuring that “corrective measures were taken immediately.” The statement elaborated, explaining that the heavy rains had caused the adhesive material used to fix glass domes in the lobby to displace slightly, leading to the leakage. The problem was promptly detected and resolved, with no further leakage reported thereafter.
Detailed Government Statement
“There are media reports that heavy rains in Delhi on Wednesday caused water leakage into the Lobby of the newly inaugurated Parliament Building, raising concerns about the weather resilience of the structure. It has also been reported that waterlogging was noticed around the premises, particularly near the New Parliament’s Makar Dwar, with several videos of the waterlogging going viral on social media platforms. In this regard, it is worth mentioning that keeping in view the concept of Green Parliament, glass domes have been provided in several parts of the Building, including in the Lobby, so that abundant natural light could be utilized in the day-to-day work of the Parliament. During the heavy rain on Wednesday, the adhesive material used to fix the glass domes over the Lobby of the Building was slightly displaced, causing minor leakage of water in the Lobby. The problem was, however, detected timely, and corrective measures were taken immediately. Thereafter, no further leakage of water has been noticed. Similarly, accumulated water opposite Makar Dwar also got drained out quickly,” the statement read.
Opposition’s Scathing Remarks
Despite the government’s quick action, the incident fueled criticism from Opposition leaders. Samajwadi Party chief and MP Akhilesh Yadav, along with Congress MP Manickam Tagore, led the charge, questioning the government’s expenditure on the new Parliament building.
Akhilesh Yadav’s Critique
Akhilesh Yadav was particularly vocal, questioning the government’s decision to spend crores of rupees on the new structure. “The old Parliament was better than this new Parliament, where even the old MPs could come and meet. Why not go back to the old Parliament, at least till the time the water dripping program is going on in the Parliament built with billions of rupees? People are asking whether water dripping from every new roof constructed under the BJP government is a part of their well-thought-out design or…” Yadav remarked on X.
Rain’s Aftermath
The heavy rains, which began around 7 pm and continued till 11 pm, left many members stranded as the House was adjourned for the day. The incident has raised questions about the weather resilience of the newly constructed Parliament building, adding to the ongoing political discourse.
