No need for new secretariat, assembly buildings: TPCC

The Telangana Congress Sunday said the construction of a new Secretariat and Assembly here was a "huge waste" of public money as the existing structures were safe.

At the All Party Round Table conference here, TPCC Chief Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Congress was opposed to the construction of a new Secretariat and Assembly on the ground that it was a "huge waste" of public money.

He also said new complexes were not needed as the present buildings were safe for utilisation.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had on June 27 laid the foundation stone for the construction of a new Secretariat building here at the existing location.

The state Cabinet has appointed a Group of Ministers headed by Road and Buildings Minister V Prashanth Reddy for the construction of new Secretariat and Assembly complexes.

The proposed new Legislature (Assembly) complex, which would be coming up at Errum Manzil, would house the Assembly, Council Halls, Central Halls.

"I have served as MLA for five consecutive terms and I am quite familiar with the Assembly premises. I have seen Assembly buildings of many States and now I am attending the Parliament sessions as an MP.

In my opinion, the present Assembly, both in functioning and aesthetics is on par with the Parliament if not better than it," Reddy said in a release.

"The same complex was used simultaneously for Assemblies of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states," he noted.

Terming the proposal for a new Assembly complex as "completely unjustified," he said neither the Chief Minister nor anybody on behalf of the government has given any justification and the reasons for shifting it.

Similarly, there was absolutely no reason to demolish the Secretariat and build a new structure at the same place, he said.

Referring to a media report, Reddy said he was surprised to know that the Chief Minister has reportedly met a top judicial officer to brief him on irrigation projects when the matter was being heard by the Court.

"Dilution of roles or nexus" between Executive and Judiciary was dangerous for the democracy," he observed.