Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday formally laid the foundation stone for the new Secretariat complex after performing bhumi puja amid vedic chant.
The State government has decided to equip the new Secretariat complex with state-of-the-art connectivity and other features, including spacious conference halls, one each dedicated to all Ministers. It is being taken up at an estimated cost of ₹ 400 crore.
The Chief Minister was reported to be firm that the new Secretariat complex, once completed, should be a model for other States to adopt. The government has, accordingly, focussed on the designs which could accommodate the Ministries as well as their respective sections on the same premises.
Mr. Rao is actively examining the designs submitted by reputed architects for the Secretariat complex, which is expected to have a built-up area of close to 6 lakh sq.ft. The construction of the new Secretariat would commence once a final decision is taken on the design. The government is awaiting the recommendations of the Cabinet Sub-Committee constituted under the chairmanship of Roads and Buildings Minister V. Prashanth Reddy relating to the shifting of the existing Secretariat departments as well as the mode in which the demolition work should be taken up.
The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone for the new legislature complex, being modelled on Parliament. The legislature complex, being planned at an estimated cost of ₹ 100 crore on a sprawling 17-acre premises at Errum Manzil, is expected to have modular buildings for the Assembly and Council in addition to a central hall on the lines of the Parliament complex.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by Ministers, MPs, MLAs and MLCs, along with senior officials led by Chief Secretary S.K. Joshi, during the foundation stone-laying ceremony.
The new Secretariat complex at the existing land and the new Assembly building at Errum Manzil are estimated to cost ₹ 600 crore. Apart from huge financial cost, sources point out that the shifting of Secretariat departments all over the city to function from different offices will not only cause disruption in work, but may also result in misplacing of files.
Major issue will be with the shifting of network centre with servers and electronic files. It has to be dismantled and assembled all over again at a central place.
