It’s been a century since our Indian officials carried out the discussions, debates and governance in the British-designed parliament building at the heart of Delhi. As India has increasingly asserted itself as a global power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi found the time to change the arcades and classical structure that echoed colonial tastes. He then urged the citizens to shed the “mentality of slavery” by suggesting his $2 billion project to modernise the capital and soften the British aesthetics. The important government offices which were built under the British Raj then underwent a reformation, including the Sansad Bhavan.

It was on May 28th that Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the sprawling campus of the new Parliament of India. This new tech-laden Sansad Bhavan is packed with cutting-edge technologies like advanced facial recognition and scanning technology at its gates to AI translations inside the building.

Given below are the technical advancements our new parliament building has undergone;

Scans at the gate

The scanning technology is leveraged to recognise the Union Minister, Members of Parliament and other important officials at the gates. Enabling them helps open the gate as soon as they arrive near the building, even if they are six metres from the entrance.

Biometrics of MPs

Besides the facial scanning, biometrics similar to the ones given for passport renewals and proceedings have also been collected from the MPs as a backup if the facial recognition system fails to respond. In such cases, other methods like thumbprints or a unique PIN will be set up.

Language translations

Being in a country with language and cultural diversities, it is important to implement technologies like live language translations. As per Hindustan Times, the Members of Parliament will no longer have to depend on English or Hindi translations in Parliament and can listen to proceedings in their own languages. Digital translation will help a member to hear and read proceedings in various languages with the help of digital translation.

Digital Sansad app

It is an AI-powered platform which helps transcribe the house proceedings in real time, leveraging the power of Artificial Intelligence. The paperless platform ensures smooth and viable communication between MPs, other government officials, citizens and stakeholders. This pioneering technology helps automatic speech recognition by accurately capturing and transcribing word-by-word spoken in Parliament.

Individual smart displays

Wifi-connected tablets are given to the MPs that would facilitate real-time inputs on the screen, which is another paperless initiative in the new Parliament.

Smart cards

The implementation of smart cards is yet another milestone. These are similar to credit cards, using a Smart Card Operating System for Transport Applications will be programmed to permit only personnel with a security clearance will be allowed to access certain areas. This encrypted data is currently under development by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC), which falls under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

The access controls

Access control will also include blocking the area of the Prime Minister’s wing for everyone except the people having PMO clearance. These are integrated into a local navigation system or an app designed, particularly for the new Parliament building, to assist people on their way.

Automatic camera control

Another innovation is the automatic camera systems mounted in the Parliament, along with a command centre for its technical controls.

The media access

Media will have access to the lobbies and corridors of Parliament, and those with extensive reporting experience in the Parliament will also enjoy access to the Central Hall. As per the new system, media cards will permit access to an adjacent North Utility building where they can access the canteen and facilities room. But in the main building, the media will be allowed to be only in the sitting area and canteen.

• https://twitter.com/Secretary_MoHUA/status/1336973778958479361
• https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/scans-facial-recognitions-biometric-ai-tech-secure-new-parliament-building-2416942-2023-08-06