90% demolition of state secretariat over: Telangana government

Ninety percent of the demolition of the state secretariat was over and as many as 4,500 truckloads of debris is expected to be generated out of it, the Telangana government said on Monday.

The K Chandrasekhar Rao-led government began razing to the ground the secretariat building complex on July 7, days after the Telangana High Court dismissed a bunch of PILs challenging the state's decision to construct a new secretariat complex by demolishing the existing one.

The official information on the demolition came after some writ petitions were filed in the High Court challenging the restrictions on media by the State Government at the Secretariat demolition site.

"The government has taken up demolition of the old buildings and removal of debris of the Old Secretariat to pave way for a new building complex. Ninety per cent of the demolition works are over. It is estimated that there would be 4500 Truck-loads of debris. So far 2,000 truckloads of debris were removed," the release issued by the Chief Minister's office said.

Other works are going on. As a preventive measure, the government did not allow anyone into the premises, as there is a danger of accidents happening while demolishing the high- rise buildings. As part of this, media is also not allowed, it said.

READ: HC extends stay on demolition of Telangana secretariat till July 16

As there were requests from the media representatives to allow them to report the demolition works, the government decided to allow them into the Secretariat premises to cover the news reports on the demolition works and clearing of the debris, the release quoted Roads and Buildings, Minister Vemula Prashanth, as saying.

The minister further said the City Police Commissioner will take the media around the secretariat premises, the release said.

The demolition of the buildings had to be suspended for a few days following the court's stay order which was lifted on July 17.