New Secretariat, Assembly plans to cost state `600cr

The cost of the new Secretariat and Assembly buildings at Bison Polo Ground is pegged at `600 crore, according to a rough estimate.

The government has to mobilise these funds through loans from financial institutions. This will further burden the already debt-ridden state government.

The AP government had spent the same amount — `600 crore — on the construction of a temporary Secretariat, Assembly building at Velagapudi in the new capital Amaravati.

TS finance department officials say the government has submitted no proposal regarding construction of the new buildings. In the budget for the current financial year, the government made a provision of `100 crore to construct a new Secretariat building.

As part of the land exchange with the defence ministry, the state government has to pay an additional `93 crore so that the value of the exchanged lands is equal. The detailed project report and design cost will require around `100 crore.

The plan initially was to construct the new Secretariat building on the site of the present one, after demolishing the existing buildings. Mumbai-based architect Hafeez Contractor was asked by the government to prepare the architectural design for the new complex. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao wanted five lakh square feet of working space on 10 floors of a single building instead of many blocks as at present. Due to court cases and other reasons, this plan was dropped and a new location was sought. Sources said Contractor may still design the new Secretariat.