All offices at old Secretariat

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday said that the Secretariat and Assembly buildings would not be demolished after the construction of the new complex at Bison Polo Ground.

Government offices that were scattered across the city would be shifted to the existing Secretariat for the convenience of the public. This would release 270 acres in prime locations in the city, which will be used to build schools, hostels and community halls.

Mr Rao said the Secretariat comprising TS and AP blocks had a built up area of 9.16 lakh square feet. "We want to build new Secretariat of around 6 lakh sq. ft. It would cost up to `240 crore even at the rate of `4,000 per sq. ft. The cost of the integrated complex comprising the Secretariat, Assembly, Council buildings and HoDs complex would not exceed `500 crore,” Mr Rao said.

“This will bring the state administration under one roof. The delivery of services and productivity will increase. Officials and staff will not have to waste time travelling between their offices and the Secretariat for meetings,” he said.

“The new Secretariat will be a reality, come what may. Let us leave the issue to the people’s court. We had taken up this issue in the GHMC election campaign and the fact that people gave us thumping majority of 100 seats shows that people have endorsed our decision,” Mr Rao said.