The Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, named so to monumentalize the Golden Jubilee of the formation of the state of Karnataka, was inaugurated on 11 October 2012. It is the second legislative building of the government of Karnataka and is situated in the district of Belgaum.
Overview of t Suvarna Vidhana Soudha
The building area is around 60,398 m² and sprawls across 127 acres of land. The Suvarna Vidhana Soudha is a four-storied structure with an Assembly Hall that can house up to 300 people, a Council chamber that can seat 100 people, a Central Hall that can accommodate 450 people and has 38 chambers for ministers and an additional 14 conference rooms. Moreover, there are other meeting halls, banquet halls and secretariats.
The main structure is crowned by a mammoth dome and there are 6 smaller domes dotted around the building. The construction costs for the building ran up to around Rs. 400 Crore. The Suvarna Vidhana Soudha is built along the lines of the Vidhana Soudha in Bangalore.
History of Suvarna Vidhana Soudha
There has been tension between the state and the neighbouring state of Maharashtra over the ownership of Belgaum district. The construction of the second legislative assembly in Belgaum is seen by many as a reaffirmation of the claim by the government of Karnataka.
The initial allotment of funds was done in 2007. It was only in 2009, the current site of construction was finalised and the building process started. It was completed in 2012 after several lags, and inaugurated by the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee. On the 67th Independence Day falling on 15 August 2013, the national flag was unfurled at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha by the Deputy Commissioner.
Current situation of Suvarna Vidhana Soudha
The Suvarna Vidhana Soudha is the designated location for the winter session of the legislative assembly. There are ongoing talks to move some of the administrative offices to the new building like that of the Joint Commissioner of Education, Dharwad; Hubli Electricity Company; Chief Engineer of Minor Irrigation, Bijapur and so on.
The site is situated in the northern part of Karnataka and would be the ideal location for some of the government departments pertaining to the area.
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