Telangana government rethinks of Golconda for Independence Day
Cops visit the fort, discuss security arrangements for the event
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2015-07-30 03:19 GMT
Hyderabad: The Telangana state government is again considering Golconda fort as the venue for the official Independence Day celebrations this year. Last year, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had unfurled the national flag at Golconda fort to celebrate the first Independence Day in the new state instead of the customary Parade Ground, Secunderebad, in undivided AP.
Last week, the government had informed officials of the general administration department to make arrangements for the Independence Day festivities at Parade Ground this time.
However, the TS government is now learnt to have conveyed its revised plan of holding the celebrations at the fort to the Hyderabad district and asked it to make arrangements accordingly.
As a follow-up to this, city police officials visited the fort on Tuesday and discussed security arrangements. Additional DGP Sudeep Lakhtakia, West Zone DCP Venkateshwar Rao, IG Srinivasa Rao, Asifnagar ACP Gouse Moinduddin and Golconda inspector Khaleel Pasha visited the fort and sought details such as entry and exit points, parking facilities. Fort officials told the police that the fort is spread over 41 acres and handed over the maps.
A coordination committee of various departments, headed by chief secretary Rajiv Sharma, has been formed to take a final decision on this issue. The committee is expected to meet in a day or two and will seek permission from the Archeologicial Survey of India and the defence ministry to hold the event at the fort. It will announce the decision after securing the permissions.
While the defence ministry has been claiming ownership of the open land at Golconda fort, the state government is disputing this. The coordination committee headed by Mr Rajiv Sharma will discuss the ownership issue and approach the Centre for a resolution.
If the state government gets ownership of this land, it plans to build a helipad near the Golconda fort to enable the Chief Minister to fly directly and make the fort a permanent venue for the Independence Day celebrations.