Buildings for 19 government departments have to be identified for transit accommodation of secretariat-level staff in Visakhapatnam

54% of 35 AP govt depts have no own buildings for residence/office. G.O. Rt. No. 2283 dated Nov 22, 2023 mentions 18 depts as `To be identified’. 46% have own office space (2,27,287 sq ft). Millennium Towers (A & B) at Rushikonda (1,75,516 sq ft) is an alternative for depts without own buildings. Govt aims to create transit accommodation in Vizag for periodic visits to monitor welfare/development programmes.

Of the 35 individual departments identified by the Andhra Pradesh government to provide transit accommodation in Visakhapatnam and surrounding areas for Secretariat-level officers, around 54% of the departments are believed to have no ‘own buildings suitable for residence or office’.

As per G.O Rt. No. 2283 dated on November 22, 2023, the status of buildings for all these 18 departments is mentioned as `To be identified’. There is a single department, Housing, which is mentioned as `No Space Available’ in the column of the status report.

The 18 departments are - BC Welfare, Consumer Affairs Civil Supplies, Department of Economically Weaker Section, Department for Women and Child Development, Energy, Finance, General Administration Department, Department of Gram Volunteers/Ward Volunteers & Village Secretariats/Ward Secretariats, Higher Education, Infrastructure and Investment, Information Technology, Electronics & Communication, Labour Employment Training and Factories, Law, Minority Welfare, Planning, Public Enterprises, Social Welfare and Real Time Governance.

A senior official at the secretariat level, on condition of anonymity, said, “Each department generally have its own buildings in every district. Sometimes if the existing buildings are not adequate or suitable for high offices and officials, the government may think of them separately later for permanent solution. When own departmental office accommodation is not available some alternative arrangements will be made as specified in the G.O.”

In such case, Millennium Towers (A & B) at Rushikonda is an alternative arrangement for departments that do not have buildings or own office spaces for immediate purpose. It has an office space of 1,75,516 square feet. It can be ready with minimum work, the officer said.

“However, the space in Millennium Towers will be allotted to only important departments that do not have their own buildings. The Information Technology, Electronics & Communications, Industries and Commerce will take further steps for allotment of available accommodation in Millennium Towers,” the officer clarified referring to the G.O.

However, the remaining 46% of the 35 government departments have their own office space (about 2,27,287 square feet). Individual departments themselves can use this space for camp offices of senior officials like Secretaries, heads of departments and even Ministers along with their necessary staff.