Hyderabad: HC stalls demolition of TS secretariat

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed the State government not to demolish the buildings in the existing secretariat complex until further orders.

The bench headed by Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Abhishek Reddy was hearing a bunch of petitions against the demolition of the secretariat causing "unnecessary burden" on the state exchequer.

The petitioners told the court that the TRS government was trying to demolish the existing administrative complex also on the basis of 'vaastu'. When contacted, Advocate General B S Prasad said the construction of new secretariat is a state's prerogative and they will approach the court with all the designs and plans of the new one

to seek vacation of the stay.

The petitioners have contended that the state was reeling under severe financial crisis with huge loans and at this juncture it was not financially viable nor does it reflect the wisdom on the part of the government to involve in such high expenditure.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao laid the foundation stone for the new secretariat on June 27 last year. Subsequently, offices from the administrative complex have been shifted to various other locations in the city.