Jammu, February 16 Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary inspected the ongoing construction of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly complex on Monday and said the project is expected to be completed by October next year.
The complex, which is being built at a cost of Rs 113 crore, will be equipped with modern facilities modeled after the new Parliament building.
"If everything goes according to plan, the 2028 Budget Session is expected to be held in the new Assembly complex. We will ensure that it is completed within the fixed deadline of October 2027," Choudhary said while speaking to reporters here.
According to officials, the lower basement of the complex will have parking space for 95 vehicles, while the upper basement will include additional parking along with two canteens and a wellness center.
The main Assembly hall will have a seating capacity of 130 members, which can be expanded to 142 if needed, the officials said while briefing the deputy chief minister.
"The complex will also have four galleries with a combined capacity of 400 people. The two media galleries will accommodate 150 media personnel, while the Guest Gallery and the Speaker's Gallery will have a seating capacity of 35 people each," they said.
Speaking to reporters during the visit, Choudhary said the project had remained stalled for the past seven to eight years with no significant progress. "The government has restarted the work with clear directions to complete it at the earliest. Both the speaker and the chief minister have taken a personal interest in the project, with the chief minister having recently conducted an inspection and review," he said.
The deputy chief minister described the existing Assembly building as a heritage site that has become congested and uncomfortable for modern requirements. The new complex will provide a technologically advanced environment for legislators, he added.
Choudhary warned that there would be no compromise on quality. He cautioned officers against collusion with contractors, stating that strict accountability would be enforced.
Earlier in the day, the deputy chief minister also conducted surprise inspections of PWD offices to review systems and ensure efficiency. He maintained that the present government would not allow projects to be initiated and then left incomplete.
