Hyderabad: In breather to the TRS government, the Telangana High Court on Monday dismissed a bunch of PILs challenging the state's decision to construct a new secretariat complex here by demolishing the existing one.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Abhishek Reddy delivered the judgment paving way for the K Chandrashekhar Rao-led government to go ahead with the construction of the new secretariat for which the foundation stone was laid on June 27
last year.
The petitioners had contended that the state was reeling under severe financial crisis with huge debts and at this juncture it was not financially viable nor will it reflect the wisdom on the part of the government to involve in such high expenditure.
The petitioners had further contended that the existing secretariat was used by the dispensation of the erstwhile state of Andhra Pradesh also and many buildings in the complex were constructed in the recent years.
The bench observed that the court does not find any arbitrary or unreasonable mess in the decision of the state cabinet to construct a new secretariat.
Commenting on the judgment, Additional Advocate General J Ramachandra Rao said decks are cleared for the construction of the new secretariat.
When contacted, Professor P L Vishweshwar Rao, one of the petitioners, said he will file a review petition or
approach the Supreme Court with facts and figures.
The state government earlier indicated that the new secretariat which would come up in about four lakh sq-ft would cost around Rs 400 crore and it had decided to equip the new Secretariat complex with state-of-the-art connectivity and other features.
Opposition parties had protested against the construction of new secretariat buildings, by demolishing some of the existing structures.
PTI
