Confusion galore at Hyderabad Secretariat

Enthusiastic followers chasing new ministers with bouquets and garlands on one side and workers busy shifting computers and files from one block to another, leaving junk papers strewn all around, on the other side.

These are the scenes from the Secretariat here which now houses the headquarters of the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments.

Interestingly, there is hardly any sign of any administrative work going on, thanks to the unfinished task of the State bifurcation and the seemingly never-ending spree of celebrations.

The basic infrastructure is missing in most of the departments in the D Block, which now houses key departments of the Telangana State. Key ministries, including finance, information technology, industries and education, are still grappling with lack of facilities.

“We have got nothing in place. The computers have to be installed and there is no clarity on the key files in many departments,” a senior official, who has just taken over as an officer on special duty in Telangana Government, said.

IAS officers and other heads of the departments are facing connectivity problems and have to make do with their smartphones and other accessories.

The fact that most of the ministers and their personal/supporting staff are first-timers is adding to the confusion.

Things are worse for the three-day-old Andhra Pradesh Government. All the work done as per the plan of Governor ESL Narasimhan from April to the appointed date on June 2 has gone waste as Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu later preferred to be in the L-Block instead of previously-allotted H-block in the Secretariat.

Naidu is now hoping to have a temporary office set up at the Lake View Guest House here to have a semblance of administration.

“It will take at least three to four-weeks to set things in order for the Andhra Pradesh Government,” said an official who is involved in the work. The heads of departments are yet to be finalised.

The entire division of files and infrastructure was originally set to be completed by May 25 but it could not be done, resulting in the present confusion, officials said.