Rajya Sabha renovated, says minister

New Delhi, April 24 (IANS) Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Friday that major renovation work had been undertaken in the Rajya Sabha, and thanked the chairman and secretariat of the house for this.

"Renovation of the structure was undertaken. There is some change in the dome, which was done keeping the old structure intact. Earlier voice used to echo," Naqvi informed the Rajya Sabha.

"Without damaging the historic structure, we have made major changes. The red carpets have been changed… I don’t know when was the last time it was changed. The seats that we sit on have also been modified," he said, even as opposition members said they cannot see any change.

Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien responded to this saying: "That is the beauty of the change".

Naqvi added: "We must thank the chairman (M. Hamid Ansari), secretary general (Shumsher K. Sheriff) and the Rajya Sabha secretariat".

The efforts to renovate the hall that houses the council of states in the parliament complex was undertaken after concerns were raised several time over the condition of the 88-year-old building.

In 2012, the sitting of Rajya Sabha was disrupted on two days, May 10, and May 18, due to foul smell coming from a drain. The overpowering stink had then created a panic, with some members suspecting it could be leakage of cooking gas, or even a gas attack.