Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday categorically stated in the Assembly that there would be no going back on the proposal to construct an integrated Secretariat complex on the 72-acre Bison Polo Ground in Secunderabad.
He said that the government had planned to construct a Secretariat that would reflect the pride and glory of TS and cater to the needs of the state for the next 100 years. He added that the construction cost would not exceed Rs 500 crore.
“Do you think Telangana is not capable of spending that much on a majestic, historic and iconic structure that will last for several decades,” he asked members of the Opposition.
Mr Rao said that the existing Secretariat buildings had been constructed in a haphazard manner and that they were lacking in terms of fire safety standards.
“The C-Block which houses the CM, the Chief Secretary and the CMO staff is most dangerous as fire engines cannot move around the block. The entry into the CMO block itself is in a zig-zag manner,” Mr Rao said.
Old Secretariat an insult: KCR
“Some foreign dignitaries who came to meet me asked me why Telangana state did not have a good Secretariat because of which I felt insulted. When I conduct lengthy meetings, there is no facility for meals to be served during the break. We had to go to the Marriott Hotel to have lunch after a meeting,” he said.
Mr Rao said the government was seeking 151 acres of defence land for the construction of the Secretariat, Assembly, Council buildings, an international cultural centre, and offices for the heads of all departments, as well as for road widening and the construction of new flyovers.
He said that the Centre had asked for Rs 32 crore per year as the lease amount for the land, which the state government had rejected. He added that negotiations were underway.
He said that the government was seeking the Bison Polo Ground because of its location. It was well connected by road, rail, bus, and Metro Rail and was close to the Outer Ring Road.
Mr Rao said that the Nizam had handed over the Cantonment land to accommodate British Army and that ownership of the land had not been transferred to the Centre. He said that ownership remained with the state government and that if the Centre imposed ludicrous conditions on its transfer, the state was ready to move court.
BJP MLAs Dr K. Laxman, G. Kishan Reddy and C. Ramachandra Reddy said the Secretari-at was being shifted on the grounds of vastu.
Mr Rao denied these allegations, saying, “Why did Mr Narendra Modi build new secretariat and Assembly buildings in Gandhinagar when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat? Now the Gujarat government is showcasing these iconic buildings to attract investments. What’s wrong with building such structures in Telangana state? Vastu is one among several reasons, and not the sole reason.”
Mr Rao said that when he had met with the Prime Minister to ask for the Bison Polo Ground, Mr Modi had lauded him for taking up the project. "He said that Hyderabad was a beautiful city and that the new structures would make it even more beautiful," he said.
Mr Rao dismissed allegations that the the government was snatching land meant for sports. “The Bison Polo Ground is a military ground. There are 19 stadiums and sports complexes in the city, who is utilising them?,” he asked.
