Hyderabad: The total expenditure for the construction of Pragathi Bhavan is almost Rs 50 crores, an RTI response revealed on Wednesday. The Pragathi Bhavan, located in Begumpet, is the official residence of the state chief minister.
In a response to a Right to Information (RTI) query filed by Hyderabad-based activist Robin Zaccheus, the public relations officer of the roads and buildings department of the Telangana government stated that the total expenditure on Pragathi Bhavan, since its construction, adds up to a total of Rs 49,84,14,145.
Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had the building built in the heart of the city in 2016. It was built after demolishing 10 IAS Officers’ quarters and 24 peon quarters at the officers’ colony. The complex, built over nine acres of land, cost Rs 45,91,00,000 during the financial year 2016-2017.
Pragathi Bhavan is the collection of five buildings- the residence, the chief minister’s office, Janahitha (meeting hall), the old CM residence, and the camp office.
It racked up another four crores in expenditure in the following four years. Some of the expenses involve services of plumbers and carpenters at camp office at a cost of Rs 14 lakhs, construction of a patrolling path on the east side of the building for Rs 26 lakhs and building of a modular kitchen at the chief minister’s residence at the cost of Rs 26 lakhs.
A detailed breakdown of the expenses incurred by the Pragathi Bhavan-
2017-2018:
Emergency maintenance works at the Pragathi Bhavan- Rs 44,277
Permanent stage for CM Camp office- Rs 89,109
Shed for security guards -Rs 7.85 lakh
Payment of staff, including plumbers and carpenters- Rs 14.46 lakh
2018-19:
Emergency maintenance- Rs 99,000
Construction of a new compound wall- Rs 34.51 lakh
Payment of staff, including plumbers and carpenters- Rs 22.06 lakh
2019-2020:
Improvements to roads and median in front of the old residence- Rs 1.16 Crore
Aluminum door and partitions- Rs 88,631
Additional works- Rs 86,733
Stage extension- Rs 40,467
Payment of staff, including plumbers and carpenters- Rs 35.03 lakh
Building toilet and changing room for security guards- Rs 9.39 lakh
Renovation of toilets on the first floor- Rs 3.14 lakh
Extension of barricading grill at the main entrance of Pragathi Bhavan -Rs 7.15 lakh
Building of patrolling paths on the eastern corridor -Rs 26 lakh
Maintenances of thermocol ceilings and toilet repair- Rs 5.14 lakh
2020-21:
Repairs and painting, along with maintenance costs, the total expenses were Rs 53.90 lakh.
2021-2022:
Works costing Rs 52 lakhs were undertaken, including emergency repairs, civil works around patrolling paths, maintenance, and barricade grills.
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