AP Secretariat to be fully functional from Velagapudi headquarters

Amaravati: After months of delay, Andhra Pradesh State Secretariat will finally start its full-fledged functioning from its Transitional Headquarters at Velagapudi in the capital region Amaravati from October 3.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will formally move into is office chambers on the auspicious day of Vijaya Dasami, which falls on October 11.

A central Command and Control Centre is also being set up n the first block at the Transitional Headquarters for the Chief Minister for live monitoring of various activities of the government from across the state.

"Since the five blocks in the Interim Complex are ready for occupation, it has been decided by the government to commence full-fledged functioning of the Secretariat from October 3.

All departments of the Secretariat are requested to issue necessary instructions with a direction to the employees that hey should report to their respective departments at Velagapudi in the forenoon of October 3," Chief Secretary Satya Prakash Tucker said in an internal communication to all Special Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and Secretaries.

A clear timeline has been drawn for the shifting from Hyderabad to the establishment of new offices at Velagapudi between today and September 30, he said.

"As October 1 and 2 are holidays, the full-fledged functioning should start from October 3," the Chief Secretary added.

The Chief Minister had first set June 15 as the deadline for relocation of offices from Hyderabad to the Amaravati region and later deferred it to June 27.

But with the buildings under construction, the government repeatedly put off the relocation process from July to August and then September.

Almost all ministers checked into their new chambers in the Transitional Headquarters at Velagapudi but only Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu has been functioning from here for over 10 days now, said Tucker.

Offices of the heads of departments and various commissionerates and directorates moved to the capital region in June-July but they have not actually been functioning as the staff remained in Hyderabad.

With the Secretariat finally opening at Velagapudi, it isexpected that HoDs too will function completely from the capital region.

The Central Record Room in the Secretariat at Hyderabad will be moved after a similar facility is created at Velagapudi. A committee under the chairmanship of General Administration Department Secretary (Political) has been constituted to look into this.