All the eyes are on Telangana Chief Minister K Chanrasekhara Rao’s new official residence, for which `Gruha Pravesha’ will be performed tomorrow early morning at 5 PM. This looks majestic and no other chief minister, even prime minister having such massive buildings as official residence. Rao has personally invited Govarner ESL Narasimhan last evening.

Just about a decade ago, YS Rajasekhar Reddy had constructed an impressive official residence, including a camp office 25,500 sq feet area at a cost of Rs 8.10 crore. He felt it would remain for all future chief ministers without making them to search for a suitable residential building after comes to power.

Thought that building is intact, said to be on `vastu’ grounds Rao decided to construct a new house in the adjourned premises at a cost of Rs 50 crore in 9.5 acres space. According to officials, the new premises having an area of 1.05 lakh sq ft for buildings, which is almost half of the area of buildings in Rastrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. Though Rastrapati Bhavan is in a spacious 320 acres site, its built area is over 2 lakh sq ft. plinth area.

The new complex consists of Chief Minister’s official residence, camp office, meeting halls in 1.05 sq feet area in four acres site. The official residence itself in 40,000 sq ft area in two floors. The camp office is in 50,000 sq ft with two floors. In addition, multi-purpose building is being taken up in 15,000 sq ft area. These three buildings guarded by a 1 km length compound wall.

Four acres were spared for parking and other facilities. Plantation taken up in the remaining 4 acres site. The complex is having a `garland of plants’ at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore. Though Chief Minister every time refers to Telangana culture and literature, the buildings designs hardly reflects it centuries old architecture, but prefers westernized interiors.