Hyderabad: Construction of a new camp office-cum-residence for Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, estimated to cost Rs 35 crore, is expected to begin soon. The CM wants to move into the new building by Dasara this year.
The building designs, with a 250-seat multi-purpose auditorium and parking facility for 300 vehicles, have been approved by the CM. The building will be spread over nine acres, adjacent to the existing camp office in Begumpet.
The CM approved the designs after vaastu expert Suddala Sudhakar Teja, who is also advisor to the TS government, sought certain modifications to suit the needs of Mr Rao.
The existing camp office will be allotted to Speaker of Legislative Assembly and Chairman of Legislative Council. The government had earlier taken over land belonging to IAS Officers’ Association for the purpose.
In lieu of this, the government has offered to build a new club house for IAS officers at old State Intelligence Branch (SIB) office, which is located opposite to the existing CM’s camp office.
Some portion of land belonging to Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS) and Old IAS Quarters is also being acquired for the purpose.
“CM wants construction of the new camp office to be completed by Dasara this year. Since the designs have been approved by him, we plan to call for tenders. The total cost has been estimated at Rs 35 crore,” said an official of R&B department.
The CM's residential-cum-office quarters will come up on two acres, while the remaining seven acres will house the 250-seat multi-purpose auditorium, a 100-seat conference hall, quarters for CM’s personal and security staff and parking facilities.
Visitors’ parking at the existing camp office was insufficient. It was built by late CM Y.S. Rajashekar Reddy in 2005 at a cost of Rs 10 crore and is spread over 1.5 acre. Another Rs 10 crore was spent on vaastu modifications and security arrangements after subsequent CMs, K. Rosaiah, N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and K. Chandrasekhar Rao occupied the premises.
However, Mr Rao has been using only the residential quarters in these premises while keeping office premises vacant due to vaastu reasons.
Mr Rao has been trying to build a vaastu-compliant camp office in a vast area since he assumed office in June 2014 and finally zeroed in on IAS Officers’ Association premises.
