Although satisfied with the efforts for the upcoming biodiversity convention, the CM N Kiran Kumar Reddy - while making rounds of the said preparations - caused immense inconvenience to commuters due to disruption of traffic.
The Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Wednesday reviewed the arrangements for the global biodiversity conference to be held in city next month.
During his three-hour tour, the Chief Minister visited different venues and inspected the preparations. He first visited the State Arts Gallery at Madhapur, where month long exhibitions will be held from the 1st of October. Special Chief Secretary (Tourism) Chandana Khan informed the CM that the Gallery has been renovated at the cost of Rs. 98 lakhs. She said that different exhibitions would be held in 10 blocks throughout the year. Further, the construction of a cultural museum, the cost of which is estimated at Rs. 9 crores, would be started next month, and would be completed in one year, she said.
Then C M spent about 45 minutes at Shilparamam, where culture programmes will be held during the biodiversity conference. He also critiqued various exhibits at the venue. Later, he went to HICC - the main venue - and then moved on to Gachichibowli, where a pylon is being constructed on 2.5 acres of land at a cost of Rs. 7 crores.
The Chief Minister finished his tour at JNTU, Masab Tank, and surveyed the work being done on clay and stone models based on the conference.
Ministers P Sabitha Inidra Reddy, D Sreedhar Babu, Danam Nagender, M Mukesh Goud, Vatti Vasanth Kumar, GHMC Mayor Mohammad Majid Hussain, MLAs Bhikshapati Goud and Virasat Rasool Khan, Dy Mayor D Rajkumar, and MLC MS Prabhakar also accompanied the Chief Minister.
Later, briefing the reporters, GHMC Commissioner MT Krishna Babu said that more than 8,000 delegates from 193 countries are expected to participate in the event to be held from October 1 to October 19. As part of the Conference of Parties (CoP-11), the High Level Segment will be held from October 17 to 19 which will be attended by top leaders from various countries.
He informed that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will lay the foundation stone for the Biodiversity Museum, which will be constructed on 15 acres of land at Gachchibowli at a cost of Rs. 100 crores, on October 17. He will also lay the foundation stone for the International Freshwater Aquarium being constructed at a cost of Rs 150 crore, sanctioned by Union Agriculture Ministry.
The commissioner also gave details of the different programmes scheduled to be held during the conference.
However, the Chief Minister's visit caused immense inconvenience to the students and office-goers due to disruption of regular traffic. Although the Chief Minister and other ministers travelled in a bus, the convoys following comprised a total of 150 vehicles. (INN)