Focus on fire safety at BRKR Bhavan

Hyderabad: Plans are afoot to shift a majority of the Secretariat offices to BRKR Bhavan and all eyes are on the Fire Safety measures and the need to take additional steps to make it fool proof in case of any unforeseen eventuality. Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's chamber is being set up here and hence the emphasis on ensuring all things are covered when it comes to fire safety norms.

According to officials from the fire department, they will be sharing inputs with the senior officials on upping the fire safety norms if required. "BRKR Bhavan is already adhering to fire safety norms.

Now that Secretariat offices are being moved here we will be giving our expert advice, inputs to the concerned officials if there is a need to take additional measures," stated an official, under the condition of anonymity.

Road width and building entrance, setbacks, side and rear open spaces, number of stairways, the status of fire safety equipment and service ducts and electricity supply, exit routes, fire safety plan are the main things that officials would be revisiting again shortly.

Meanwhile, the original idea of shifting 25-odd departments in Secretariat to respective HoD (Head of Department) offices in the city is all but dropped, though no official announcement has been made.

Buildings that are lying vacant for quite some time after AP departments shifted their base were spruced up for this purpose in the last fortnight or so. However, with the change of plans to ensure that all Secretariat offices are located in one place or be in 2 to 3 km radius at the best, the identified spaces in Vidyut Soudha, SCERT, Civil Supplies Bhavan, Housing Corporation office, Labour Commissionerate, Stamps and Registration office etc. will remain unoccupied for some more time.

On the other hand, staff and officials of various departments are busy with packing their luggage, documents, furniture and even electrical equipment like fans. Trucks are seen making trips into the Secretariat to complete the formalities, likely to last for a week or so.

The existing offices in BRKR Bhavan are in the process of vacating the space to facilitate the movement of Secretariat departments and hence the shifting process is yet to gain full momentum.