Hyderabad: People have been warned not to move around or even park vehicles near the Secretariat G Block after it sustained structural damage due to the recent rains.
A protected heritage building, it has been locked for decades. The government intended to demolish the structure, but could not do so as it figures in the HMDA heritage list. This multistorey structure once housed the office of then Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao but has been neglected for decades.
The government is not keen on repairing the building. Previous attempts to pull it down were resisted, said Ms P. Anuradha Reddy, co-convener, Intach.
The building was constructed by the VI Nizam in 1888 and named Saifabad Palace. It was the centre for administration during the Nizam era.
After N.T. Rama Rao vacated the building, the Chief Minister’s Office was shifted to the C Block in 1994. The government had planned to demolish the G Block building in 2004 but withdrew the proposal following resistance from activists.
