TeaElangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao is in a hurry, hoping to meet a deadline. Top engineers in the state’s Roads and Buildings (R&B) department, whom he has tasked with building a new state secretariat by Dussehra (October 5, 2022), have also gone off their feet. His place of work is the 29.5 acre old Telangana Secretariat Complex. Ten blocks of the old complex and 12 other small and large structures with a built-up area of over 900,000 square feet were demolished in a matter of days in July 2020; 14,000 truck debris was taken for recycling. From their war room—a 3,000-square-foot security post, the last of the old complex—construction engineers track the 1,800-member team at work. Work started in November 2020, but the Covid pandemic delayed things. Considering the monumental task, a time-out seems inevitable.
A model of the proposed Telangana Secretariat
The spacious, integrated secretariat complex with state-of-the-art facilities is KCR’s dream project. By 2015, he hoped to build it on open land in the Secunderabad Cantonment, owned by the Ministry of Defence, and recoup the construction cost by selling the secretariat property to potential developers. However, when the ministry asked for a tough price, a determined KCR opted to demolish the existing structure in the old campus to make room.
However, heritage activists lament the demolition of the old Secretariat’s historic G Block—the 137-year-old Saifabad Palace—and the ambiguity in the entire process relating to the construction of a major public utility. Built in 1885 by Nizam Mahbub Ali Khan, the palace was the center of the administration of Hyderabad State; After independence, the two-storey building with Corinthian columns, arches, teak-paneled interiors and an ornate staircase housed the offices of several chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh. Architectural conservator Sajjad Shahid points out that from the days of NT Rama Rao as Chief Minister in the 1980s, there have been several attempts to demolish it in the past. When another such demolition plan surfaced and was challenged in court, in 2011 the Andhra Pradesh High Court directed the government to go with the advice of the Heritage Conservation Commission (HCC), which recommended its conservation. Within years, another attempt was made to pull the palace down. “An expert from Rajasthan brought in at the behest of the then governor ESL Narasimhan to assess the building which declared that the palace was strong and should be preserved,” he says.
In addition, a 100-year-old stone building located in the offices of the Electricity Department also collapsed. Built a century ago, it was earlier known as Osmania Technical College.
HCC was not reconstituted after its tenure ended. KCR also turned his back on conservation and heritage activists. P. Anuradha Reddy, convener of INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage), Telangana, says, “We have seen shining granite and Rangoon teak coming out and cement concrete going in. On June 29, 2020, the Telangana High Court ordered to approve the demolition of G Block. The Government Demolition Squad was soon gone.
Heritage workers mourn the demolition of the 132-year-old secretariat and the ambiguity in the development
As during the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme and the construction of the Lakshminarasimha Swamy Temple, KCR closely monitored the construction of the new Secretariat. The design, based on their brief, has been created by Chennai-based architects Oscar and Ponni Consesao. It was finalized after several days of discussions and a workshop with the CM, where he discussed in detail the master planning, Vastu principles, site grading and floor zoning. KCR is closely monitoring the construction. The new complex is marked by classical symmetry, with a large dome, and smaller ones flanking and foregrounding it, crowning the central block. The wings radiate outward, with the dome mounted above the sections along its length.
TeaThe external architectural character of the building is intended to reflect the diverse cultures of Telangana. The 15-foot-high podium cladding is made of red sandstone; The beige colored Dholpur stone of Rajasthan has been used in the central tower. The domes are inspired by the temples and palaces of Telangana. “The design inspiration is twofold. One is a harmonious blend of the architectural heritage of Telangana. The other is Lord Shiva, with specific reference to the Neelkantheshwara Temple near Hyderabad and the Wanaparthy Palace,” explains Ponni Consesao.
The entire complex will be surrounded by a 16 feet high designer metal grill. The rectangular building scale, 600 feet by 300 feet in dimension, and its seven storeys, each 14 feet high, are lavishly monumental. The main entrance is to the east, with a special entrance and elevator to take the chief minister to the top floor, where his large, glass-paneled office is in the southwest corner. A Sky Lounge under the central dome also offers a 360-degree view of the nearby Hussain Sagar Lake and the city of Hyderabad.
architecture and modern technology
Accommodating KCR’s firm belief in architectural principles faced challenges, which were resolved through on-site discussions, ostensibly without compromising on functional and safety requirements. Architect Oscar G. “We had to design a number of spatial components and façades, update the drawings and present several options on a daily basis for about two weeks,” recalls Consesao. KCR reviewed the plans once or twice a week.
Entry and distribution of main areas of service, lifts, stairs, utility rooms, toilets and directions clearly follow the principles of Vastu. For example, while all 106 assistant secretaries are eligible to have attached toilets in their offices, the number of these facilities has been reduced “to avoid imbalance”. Again, the building mostly follows the Vastu principle that a staircase should be climbed from east to west or north to south, but this may not be followed in every case keeping in mind the functionality of the building.
While some building laws were modified to suit Vastu beliefs, the building will also have the latest technology
At Ground Zero, there is a central courtyard – the Brahmasthanam – designed for proper ventilation and air movement. More than half the 29.5-acre area will be decorated with lawns and fountains, and gardens will be planted with local trees.
The Secretariat will, of course, be equipped with the latest technology: motion sensors, timers, automatic switches, dimming controls and smart lighting controls with energy efficient equipment are being installed. Materials including granite, vitrified tiles, veneer wood paneling, metal and acoustic false ceilings, energy efficient plumbing fixtures are being used for interiors. Vitrified flooring will be used at all levels except the CM office and the entire sixth floor, which will have marble floors. Green building concepts are being implemented using eco-friendly materials with low energy. It aims to reduce artificial lighting and increase natural ventilation.
With the south-west corner, as per Vastu Shastra, the offices of most of the ministers will be in that direction, guaranteeing continuity. The lower floors will house the meeting hall, waiting area, reception center and record room. A special conference room with a seating capacity of more than 200 people, suitable for large administrative meetings with the CM, has been provided. In addition, each floor has three meeting rooms for the use of ministers and senior officials.
The lower ground floor is designed for services and arrival lobbies in addition to entry and exit points. The building has a grand entrance hall, with a three-storey high arrival portico, while the atrium will have an LED wall displaying Telangana mural art and developments in the state.
The business of the Secretariat is conducted through 29 administrative departments, each headed by a secretary, with his support staff. The existing guidelines on per capita space allocation were revised to meet the modern requirements in terms of work space and facilities. Fire tenders, parking, vehicular and pedestrian movement and outdoor services such as hydrants, drainage, stormwater runoff and safety installations are also provided in a comprehensive manner. A terrain modeling technique was also employed to ensure flood-free topography.
PLannings, specifications and various estimates were made while meeting the tender deadline. The R&B department ensured that each worker was fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provided on-site precautionary doses.
One by one gleaming domes on the periphery of the Secretariat, covered with high walls and huge sheets, may indicate that the building will be ready by Dussehra. But fabricating and erecting 34 composite steel and cement domes and installing them with cranes is time-consuming and challenging. Nine domes are yet to be installed, including two large, 50 feet diameter central domes to be placed atop a 48 feet long cylindrical drum at a height of 165 feet. For on-site construction engineers, this is a rare engineering experience—the bonding of reinforcement, shuttering, back propping, and concrete laying.
Bowing to the pressure, KCR has agreed to build a new temple and mosque in the old secretariat complex. A church is also being built. These and other facilities, such as buildings for visitors, police, fire services and a crche will come up in the area beyond the rectangular complex. The total cost is expected to increase from Rs 615 crore to over Rs 800 crore.
Although KCR believes that a new state secretariat is a matter of pride for Telangana, political opponents say it is a wrong priority and only promotes his own image as the sole builder of modern Telangana. He explains that his promise to move all state-level offices to the Secretariat is impossible due to space constraints—the various directorates would remain outside the Secretariat. Plans to build another large building nearby with an underground tunnel connecting it to the Secretariat are in limbo.
Unfazed by such talk, KCR looks forward to having the secretariat up and running by the solstice in mid-January and move to this monumental seat of power before calling for assembly elections later in the year. Now it is a race to end in Hyderabad.