Stage is being set for laying of foundation stone for new secretariat complex.

The stage is being set for the launch of works on the new secretariat complex replacing the existing one.

Though official orders are yet to be issued, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is expected to formally conduct the Bhumi Puja and lay the foundation stone for the new complex on Thursday, June 27. The Chief Minister is also scheduled to lay the foundation stone for the new legislature complex proposed at Errum Manzil the same day.

The lawn in front of the existing D block has been selected as the site for the foundation stone laying ceremony and workers accordingly started preparing the ground for the ceremony. Though it was initially proposed to conduct bhumi puja at the helipad within the secretariat, the spot abutting the D block had been selected as it reportedly fulfils the Vasstu requirements.

The design for the new secretariat is being examined by the Chief Minister and he is reportedly going through three designs submitted by expert architects. Senior officials said the new complex, with a built up area of close to six lakh sq.ft, will have state of the art connectivity, utilising both the OFC as well as the wireless networks, and it is expected to have dedicated conference rooms for each of the 17 Ministers.

The proposal for dedicated conference halls had been necessitated as the existing complex did not have arrangements for the purpose. But for the conference halls of smaller dimensions on the D block and a relatively bigger one for the exclusive use of the Chief Minister in the C block, the present blocks given to Telangana do not have necessary facilities.

Though the AP government has handed over the blocks under its possession recently, these too did not have adequate facilities to hold conferences with good number of officials present. There is one conference hall in the J block and another conference hall in the top floor of the L block at present. Contrary to expectations, the new secretariat will not feature the offices of the heads of the departments.

Officials said it was decided to keep offices with larger public interface like the agriculture commissionerate and school and higher education commissionerates as there would be constant flow of visitors to these offices. “Given the number of visitors frequenting these offices, largely in groups, they are unlikely to be shifted to the secretariat owing to security reasons,” a senior official told The Hindu.

THE HINDU