Secretariat closes for renovation

The heritage Writers Building, which houses the West Bengal secretariat, was closed this evening for renovation.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attended office there during the day and left the building in the evening, as it is scheduled to undergo renovation and restoration work which would take six months to one year time.
The CM will sit in her new office at the 14-storey HRBC building across Hooghly river in adjoining Howrah district from Saturday, state secretariat sources said.
Writers' Buildings, the sprawling heritage structure adorns a Greco-Roman look with the giant pediment at the centre crowned with the statue of Minerva was constructed in 1706 for 'writers' or clerks of British East India Company which gave the building its name.

A total 11 departments, including the office of Finance Minister Amit Mitra and the excise excise department would move to the HRBC building temporarily.
The seat of administration would for the first time in its history move to an alternative location.

The Home (Personnel), Agriculture, Land and Land Reforms, Information and Cultural Affairs department, Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education, Disaster Management and the state police directorate which are under the CM would be among those who move across the river.
PWD minister Sudarshan Ghosh Dastidar has said renovation of the Writers' Buildings would be done on international standards under direct supervision of the chief minister.

Though the minister did not reveal the budget for the renovation, reports said it could cost the state government over Rs 200 crore.