Telangana chief minister appears to have changed his mind on shifting the secretariat from the banks of Hussain Sagar to Erragadda. Government sources indicated that the secretariat will remain at the same place. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s speech at the foundation laying ceremony for the 125 -feet Amdedkar status yesterday is seen as a clear signal to the change of mind of chief minister.
Some time back, the chief minister himself announced that the government would soon shift Secretariat, Chenchalguda Jail and Malakpeta Race course.
“The secretariat will be shifted. There won’t be any doubt about it. The foundation stone will be laid for the secretariat after GHMC elections. It takes time to prepare plan and designs,” the CM said in a press conference on January 29 2106. The chief minister also indicated that the secretariat would either be located in the chest hospital premises at Erragadda or on the defence land if it is allotted.
With development of 36 acre Amdedkar Smrutivanam, the place near the present secretariat is going to be the Buddhist hub with tallest Buddhist statue, Lumbini Park, tallest statue of Ambedkar, for which foundation was laid yesterday at the Hill Rock adjoining NTR gardens.
Addressing the gathering, KCR said the Hill Rock is at the centre of Buddha Statue and Secretariat. If the statues of Ambedkar is unveiled both the statues of Buddha and Ambedkar could be seen from all rooms in secretariat. He said the was the reason for selection of Hill Rock for the installation of Ambedkar statue.
This is seen by many officials as the clear indication that the secretariat is unlikely to get shifted. Built at any place in Hyderabad, Secretariat will miss this scenic beauty, pleasant atmosphere, any senior official remarked. And above, the Andhra Pradesh is expected to vacate the secretariat by June 15. It is expected to ease the congestion in the secretariat, he added.