Telangana gets vacant AP buildings

Hyderabad: Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan on Sunday issued proceedings for the AP government to hand over its buildings located in Hyderabad to Telangana state. The move comes amid the bonhomie between Chief Ministers K. Chandrasekhar Rao and Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and is being seen as a Formation Day gift to Telangana state.

During bifurcation, government buildings in Hyderabad were divided equally between the successor states and the city was denoted as the common capital for a decade. The AP government offices functioned from the state for some time.

The administration shifted to Amaravati after the cash-for-votes scam and since then its buildings in Hyderabad are lying vacant. The AP government is paying electricity bills and other maintenance costs for the buildings though it is not utilising them.

In this backdrop the TS government urged the Governor to reallocate the buildings to the state. It requested the Governor to reserve one building for the AP government to house its police unit and another building for its other offices.

Following this, Mr Narasimhan issued proceedings under Section 8 of the AP Reorganisation Act 2014 and requested the TS government to waive outstanding claims of property tax and public utility charges on the buildings.

According to an R&B official, about 30 lakh square feet of office space was divided between the TS and AP governments at the Secretariat, DGP’s office, and offices of the heads of departments at Hyderabad.

Hyderabad: Governor E.S.L. Narasim-han on Sunday issued proceedings for the AP government to hand over its buildings located in Hyderabad to Telangana state. The move comes amid the bonhomie between Chief Ministers K. Chandrasekhar Rao and Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and is being seen as a Formation Day gift to Telangana state.

During bifurcation, government buildings in Hyderabad were divided equally between the successor states and the city was denoted as the common capital for a decade. The AP government offices functioned from the state for some time.

The administration shifted to Amaravati after the cash-for-votes scam and since then its buildings in Hyderabad are lying vacant. The AP government is paying electricity bills and other maintenance costs for the buildings though it is not utilising them.

In this backdrop the TS government urged the Governor to reallocate the buildings to the state. It requested the Governor to reserve one building for the AP government to house its police unit and another building for its other offices.

Following this, Mr Narasimhan issued proceedings under Section 8 of the AP Reorganisation Act 2014 and requested the TS government to waive outstanding claims of property tax and public utility charges on the buildings.

According to an R&B official, about 30 lakh square feet of office space was divided between the TS and AP governments at the Secretariat, DGP’s office, and offices of the heads of departments at Hyderabad.

CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao welcomed the proceedings issued by the Governor. In a press communiqué, Mr Rao said, “It is a welcome and auspicious sign that both the state government have decided to move forward with people's welfare in mind and development of both the states as the main aim with mutual goodwill and fraternity.” Mr Rao hoped that both the state governments would work in tandem in a give-and-take relationship, keeping in mind the factual realties on the ground. He said his aim, ambition and effort would be to see to it that both the states develop with its people living in peace and prosperity.