Hyderabad: Visitors barred from entering Secretariat, govt offices

Hyderabad: Due to the massive surge in COVID-19 cases in Telangana, a tight vigil will be maintained in the state Secretariat and other government offices. Visitors will henceforth be not allowed into most of the departmental head offices, it has been learnt.

A curb was already in place for visitors from entering the state Secretariat complex earlier. Now, not only commissionerate offices, but even departmental directorate offices and other government offices across the state too will be out of bounds for visitors. Moreover, government employees have also been demanding attendance on alternate days, but the state government is unwilling to concede to it.

Instead, it barred entry of visitors to government offices to save the employees from getting infected with the COVID-19 virus. The Secretariat employees reportedly complained about the shortage of space in the complex as the provisional secretariat was set up in haste at the BRKR Bhavan near Tank Bund. In such a situation, the employees and officials have not been able to maintain social distancing.

Sources said that that more than 600 government and secretariat employees have been COVID-19 positive and fear of the infection has gripped more employees. Hence, visitors will not be permitted into government offices except in urgent cases, with permission of the official after proper screening.

More than 100 employees of the Secretariat have been infected with COVID-19. In fact, the personal assistant of the Narayanpet district collector also died due to COVID-19. The government may take further measures to protect government employees and officials. According to the employees’ unions, the situation would not improve until the employees are allowed to work on alternate days.