Designs for new Telangana Secretariate building being readied
HYDERABAD: Construction of a new building for the Secretariat, it seems, is again on the top of the State government’s agenda. Three to four designs are being planned for the construction of the new building. With Centre delaying its decision on the Bison Polo Grounds despite repeated efforts by the State government, the government is now considering the option of constructing the new Secretariat building on the existing premises.
“The file relating to the transfer of Bison Polo Grounds is pending with the Central government. If the Centre rejects the Bison Polo Grounds, the State government is likely to construct the new Secretariat building on the existing premises,” top officials on condition of anonymity told Express on Friday.
The official sources confirmed that three to four designs would be prepared for the new building including U-shape, vertical type and other designs. In the U-shape design, the buildings will have one or two storeys. In vertical type design, only one structure with six or seven-storeys would be built.
Building to be ‘Vastu compliant’
The officials said Pragathi Bhavan, the CM’s camp office, was constructed in a record eight months time. The new Secretariat building too is likely to be designed by noted architect Hafeez Contractor.According to sources, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has objections over the bad Vastu in the existing building like L Block, C Block and others. Moreover, there are no fire safety measures in place. Rao wants the new building to be vastu-complaint.
Once, the government gives its nod, the Telangana Secretariat departments would be shifted to buildings in the AP Secretariat. “AP will soon hand over the buildings to us after which offices in C, D and other blocks would be shifted to AP blocks. The TS blocks will be demolished and new building will be constructed. Later AP blocks too would be demolished,” sources said. The new building may cost `500 crore with an office space of more than six lakh sft.