Bhubaneswar: Ending speculation over the fate of the existing Odisha Legislative Assembly building, Works Minister Prithviraj Harichandan on Tuesday clarified that the iconic structure will not be demolished and will instead be preserved as a heritage building, with the possibility of being converted into a museum or used as a Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) house in the future.
The minister’s statement comes amid ongoing discussions following the state government’s decision to construct a new ultra-modern Legislative Assembly building in Bhubaneswar.
Harichandan said the present Assembly building, which is over 70 years old, has no scope for expansion and cannot meet the future requirements of a growing legislature. However, acknowledging its historical and architectural significance, the government has decided to conserve it.
“If a Legislative Council is formed in Odisha in the coming days, the existing Assembly building can be used as the Vidhan Parishad house,” the minister said, adding that it could also function as a museum showcasing the state’s democratic legacy.
He said the upcoming new Legislative Assembly building will be constructed in the vacant space between the current Lok Seva Bhawan and the existing Assembly building. Designed to accommodate around 300 legislators, the new House takes into account the likely increase of nearly 50 Assembly seats during the next delimitation exercise.
The proposed structure will be a two-storey building (B+G+1 configuration) with ultra-modern facilities, underground parking, and dedicated parking zones. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has announced that the project will cost approximately ₹387.94 crore.
Meanwhile, Harichandan informed that Secha Sadan, Heads of the Departments- a nine-storey structure, and Rajiv Bhawan, located close to the existing Lok Seva Bhawan, will be demolished as they have already been declared structurally unsafe.
The present Lok Seva Bhawan (Secretariat), built about 67 years ago, will also be relocated due to severe space constraints. The new Secretariat complex will be constructed in three phases.
Phase One: Construction of the main Lok Seva Bhawan near Kharvel Bhawan; Phase Two: Additional Secretariat offices near Power House Square, adjacent to the ADM office and OSEPA campus
In total, the new Legislative Assembly, Lok Seva Bhawan complex, and other government buildings will be developed in three phases over 71.13 acres, forming a single integrated administrative campus. The project, inspired by New Delhi’s Central Vista redevelopment, will cost approximately ₹3,623 crore.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi laid the foundation stone for the ambitious project on Monday, marking a major step toward reshaping Odisha’s administrative and legislative infrastructure for the next 70 to 100 years.
