AP government to shift offices to Amaravati by June end

AMRAVATI: The Andhra Pradesh government today said that it will complete the process of relocation of its offices to Amaravati by the end of next month.

The government also dropped the move to build two additional floors each on the six blocks currently under construction at the Transitional Headquarters at Velagapudi.

As such, the six blocks will have only the ground and the first floors for now, according to Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana.

"All departments in the state Secretariat will be located in the Transitional Headquarters while some offices of heads of departments may also be accommodated there. Rest of the offices of HoDs will be located in rented buildings in Vijayawada and Guntur," Narayana said.

The offices of HoDs would be shifted to Transitional Headquarters once additional structures are built, he added.

The government had initially set June 15 as the deadline for completion of buildings at the Transitional Headquarters and wanted to relocate all its offices here.

Subsequently, it said employees would be moved from Hyderabad, the joint capital of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, in a phased manner in June, July and August.

"Since the academic year starts in June, employees are apprehensive about admissions in schools and colleges for their children. So, we decided to completion the relocation process as scheduled by June 27," the municipal minister said.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu discussed the issue in detail with Narayana and senior officials till late last night and finally decided to go ahead with the original plan of shifting the administrative base to Amaravati in June.

"Whatever be the problems, we have to adjust and complete the shifting process as planned," Chandrababu said at the meeting.

He directed officials to lease private space in Vijayawada and Guntur for locating offices of HoDs till necessary buildings were constructed at Velagapudi.

Krishna district Collector Babu A informed the Chief Minister that they have identified eight lakh sqft of office space in Krishna where offices of HoDs could be located.

Naidu asked the Collector to show the accommodation to the HoDs and finalise it for immediate shifting.

"Shift all the existing furniture from the respective offices of HoDs from Hyderabad. For the Secretariat departments at Velagapudi, we will purchase new furniture," he added.

Narayana said basic infrastructure like roads, drains, water supply and electricity would be in place at Velagapudi by the end of June.