Hyderabad: The government would build Telangana Kala Bharati with four auditoriums and a massive interaction centre near Indira Park in Hyderabad. The plan was unveiled by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao during a televised interaction with people late on Wednesday night. The interaction was going on at the time of going to press. The four auditoriums would accommodate 2,750, 1,750, 1,000 and 700 people. The interaction centre could hold about 10,000 people, he said.
“We have only one major centre for cultural programmes at Ravindra Bharati, which is outdated and lacks parking facilities. If a government programme is held, private institutions are denied permission. I don’t have space for interaction with people of the twin cities, hence we are building Kala Bharathi,” Mr Rao said. On other issues, Mr Rao said that the government has planned to come out with a new building regularisation scheme and would waive property tax for the poor.
He was accompanied on T News channel by Deputy Chief Minister Mahmood Ali and ministers Nayani Narasimha Reddy, T. Padma Rao and T. Srinivas Yadav. Mr Rao explained his master plan to develop Hyderabad in all spheres and sought the cooperation of the people. The government, he said, had roped in noted architect Hafiz Contractor to design Telangana Kala Bharathi.
The architect has also proposed a pearl-shaped building to replace Ravindra Bharathi with better accommodation and parking.
The Telangana government would modernise Hyderabad at a cost of Rs1,250 crore in the first phase. “Tenders will be called by GHMC soon. You will have modernised junctions, skyways among others. You will see a totally changed Hyderabad in six to seven years,” he said. Mr Rao said Hussainsagar would be desilted and cleaned in the summer through shramdhan and support of all sections of people. The Kukatpally nala and others which carry waste into the lake would be diverted and the lake will be brought back to life.
“Hussainsagar provides 1 TMC of water. Very few cities in the world have such a beautiful lake. Governments in the past have neglected Hyderabad and the lake. We will revive it,” he said.
Defending the shifting of the Secretariat to the campus of the TB and Chest Hospital, he said, he said the administrative headquarters was congested and lacked facilities. “Some people with a narrow-minded approach are indulging in cheap politics. We need to change with the times. We need a better place to work and live. Some say I will sell the Secretariat. It’s rubbish. We will make the best use of available space and have offices, bus shelters, vegetable, meat, fish and other markets,” he said.
He asked people to utilise regularisation of encroachment scheme and warned that after the end of the scheme, the government would take back open land. Mr Rao said he would not allow illegal constructions after the conclusion of the BRS.Taking a dig at AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, he said though the latter was putting obstacles, the Telangana government would treat all residents of the state equally.
