The frenetic sight of works relating to stormwater drains, road widening and sprucing up of foliage at the International Convention Centre in Madhapur greeted Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and his Ministerial colleagues on Wednesday.
With 20-odd days left for the United Nations International convention on bio-diversity – Conference of Parties (CoP) – to begin and scores of delegates expected to arrive from several countries, the main venue was anything but ready for the prestigious event.
Stops at Shilparamam
The huge cavalcade of vehicles accompanying Mr. Reddy and his entourage were witness to workers under the supervision of senior officials trying to put the civic infrastructure in place before the D-day when the city is expected to be swamped by thousands of delegates and other visitors for the summit.
The Chief Minister did not halt inside the venue as his official bus went round the predominantly single-lane roads now being widened to two lanes. But, he did halt at Shilparamam before that where a sculptor park is getting readied.
He got down at the entrance and walked the entire length as his colleagues, officials and mediapersons struggled to keep pace. It will be the place for hosting cultural events and food festivals too because of the proximity to the main venue.
Mr. Reddy also checked the Rs. 2.7 crore pylon coming up in a proposed 15-acre bio-diversity park at Raidurg. About Rs.100 crore is to be spent on developing the park but works are in a preliminary stage with soil levelling on.
The Chief Minister’s tour began at the State Art Gallery in Madhapur undergoing a major facelift. Tourism Secretary Chandana Khan informed him that Rs.90 lakh is being spent for improving the look and a month-long art exhibition is to be kicked off on October 1.
Galleries showcasing the State’s art and culture will also be opened with guides on hand as most foreigners have passion for flavouring the local heritage, she said. His final stop was at the JNTU College of Fine Arts, Masab Tank, where rock and scrap sculptures were ready to be shifted to designated points.
Tour at peak hour
Much to the dismay of the media, the Chief Minister refused to talk. This was after following his bus for a good four hours and witnessing traffic snarls everywhere as the tour was done during peak hours.
Mayor Mohd. Majid Hussain, Ministers Sabita Indra Reddy (Home), J. Geeta Reddy (Major Industries), D. Sridhar Babu (Civil Supplies), S. Vijayarama Raju (Forests), D. Nagender (Labour), Mukesh Goud (Marketing) and senior officials were present.
