Showing gratitude to the division of the state, the century-old Assembly hall, situated on the premises of the Legislative Assembly here, is getting a new lease of life after three decades, though temporarily.
The building is being given a face-lift overnight to host the first session of the Assembly of Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to commence on June 19.
Constructed in the year 1913 by the Nizam, yhe old Assembly hall was in fact meant to be the Town Hall.
According to sources in the Assembly, the citizens of Hyderabad raised money to build it, to mark the 40th birthday of Nizam Mahboob Ali Khan in 1905. It was designed by specially-commissioned architects from Rajasthan.
Amaze by the architectural magnificence of royal palaces in Rajasthan, the Nizam commissioned architects from there to design the Town Hall for Hyderabad.
The Town Hall is a mélange of Persian and Rajasthani architecture and was home for the 294-strong Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly till 1985 when the new Assembly was added to the complex.
In 1952, after the first general elections in the then Hyderabad state, the Town Hall was converted into Hyderabad state Assembly. After the formation of Andhra Pradesh state on November 1, 1956, it was renamed as AP Legislative Assembly hall and continued till August 3, 1985.
Later on, the new building was inaugurated on August 3, 1985 by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. After bifurcation of AP, the new building was allotted to Telangana whereas the old building has been revived as the Assembly of residuary Andhra Pradesh.
The old Assembly building does not have separate entrances for chief minister, speaker, deputy speaker, ministers. Also accommodating chambers for deputy speaker, speaker, ministers and leader of opposition and leaders of all the legislature parties would be difficult as the rooms available in the building are not enough.
The present TDP Legislature Party (TDLP) office for the time being has been converted into the chambers of the AP chief minister.