The stage is set for the inauguration of the new integrated secretariat complex – Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Telangana State Secretariat – on Sunday.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao will inaugurate the new complex constructed at a cost of ₹616 crore and equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. Shifting of files and equipment from the existing complex, BRKR Building, has already started and the departments are given Saturday deadline to complete the process.
The total built-up area of the main complex is 8.58 lakh sft - lower ground, ground and six floors forming part of it. In addition to the main complex, ancillary buildings form part of the complex with a built-up area of 67,982 sft. The central tower in the each wing has two floors of double height along with sky lounges to host State banquets.
The total height at the top of Ashoka Capitol is 265 ft, higher than historic structures like Charminar, Qutub Minar and Taj Mahal. The building covers an area of 2.45 acres of the 27.9-acre land on the Secretariat premises and it will have landscaping covering 7.72 acres and central courtyard lawn developed on 2.2 acres.
The new Secretariat complex is the first such complex given gold rating by the Indian Green Building Council and it can accommodate 560 cars and over 700 two-wheelers at one time. It has adequate space for records, security, house keeping and building maintenance wings in the lower ground floor and a lunch room has been provided to the employees on each floor. The complex is equipped with spacious conference halls as well as facilities for uninterrupted power supply and network connectivity.
Designed by reputed architectural firm Oscar and Ponni Architects, the complex has been constructed by Shapoorji and Pallonji Group. The sixth floor of the complex has been reserved for the Chief Minister, Chief Advisor, vice-chairman of the State Planning Board and secretaries to the Chief Minister and Ministers, principal secretaries, secretaries and their respective departments will be housed in the fifth floor.
The new complex replaces the old cluster of buildings housing different departments as it was faced with several complaints relating to frequent roof leakages, power short circuits, inadequate parking spaces and absence of amenities for employees. A Cabinet sub-committee constituted to study the features of the old buildings reported that there were multiple blocks without inter connectivity necessitating the movement of people and files in sun/rain across speeding traffic. There was no compliance with the green building norms as the buildings were very old whose balance life was not considerable for taking up cost effective repairs.
Accordingly, these buildings were razed and construction of the new complex started in late 2020 with a deadline of 12 months stipulated for completion of the entire structure in all respects. Works on the project were stopped for several months on account of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, but picked up after activities were resumed. The Government deployed workers on three shifts to complete the works and ensure that the new complex was inaugurated at the earliest.
