Cong opposes Tel's plan to construct new secretariat building

Opposing the TRS government's plan to construct a new Secretariat building complex, the Congress today said it would launch an agitation on the issue.
Telangana Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy, who visited the Bison Polo Ground here where the state government proposed to construct new Secretariat buildings, alleged that the move is not only a waste of money but also anti-environment.
"Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao seems to hate open spaces in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. He came up with different proposals to turn several green lung spaces into concrete jungles. Congress party will never allow this to happen under any circumstances," Reddy said.

Instead of wasting money on building a new secretariat, the chief minister should urge the Andhra Pradesh government to hand over the secretariat buildings in its possession as the neighbouring state has already shifted its administration to Amaravati (AP's permanent capital), he said.
"The present Secretariat complex has more than sufficient space after the Andhra Pradesh government moved all its employees and infrastructure to its interim secretariat near Vijayawada. Instead of wasting over Rs. 2,000 crore on new secretariat, KCR should persuade his AP counterpart Chandrababu Naidu to formally hand over the blocks which are lying empty," the Congress leader said.

Rao is behaving like a royal who does things as per his wish, he alleged.

"Citing Vaastu defects, he (Rao) constructed a new palatial house for his accommodation at a cost of over Rs. 350 crore. Pragati Bhavan (CM's new official residence) has virtually turned into the new secretariat as the CM is holding Cabinet and review meetings from the same premises. KCR himself is not visiting the present secretariat and therefore, why does he need a new secretariat," Reddy asked.
Many blocks in the present secretariat complex are not even 10 years old, he said.
"They are not more than 10 years old and are in good condition. Crores of rupees was also spent on renovation of blocks in Secretariat allotted to both the chief ministers. Entire money spent on renovation would go waste," he said.

Rao had met Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who held additional charge of Defence prior to recent Union Cabinet reshuffle, to urge him to handover Bison Polo Ground which was in the possession of Defence Ministry.
"Jaitley informed the CM that the Centre is willing to handover Bison Polo Ground for the construction of a new secretariat and required lands for the expansion of Karimnagar and Medchal highways," a release from Rao's office had said after his meeting with Jaitely.