Chennai
pti-PTI
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Thursday unveiled plans to establish a new Assembly-cum-Secretariat integrated complex for Rs 1,200 crore in Chennai, signalling the administration’s decision to move out of the historic Fort St George.
This modern integrated complex will house all state government departments and will be established at an estimated cost of Rs 1,200 crore on a built-up area of 20 lakh sq ft, he said.
Tamil Nadu CM C Joseph Vijay announced a Rs 1,200 crore plan for a new integrated Assembly-Secretariat complex in Chennai, replacing Fort St George, and established Tamil Nadu Olympic City and Motor Sports City to enhance state infrastructure and sports facilities.
Making a slew of announcements under Rule 110 in the Assembly, the CM informed that the state government would set up Tamil Nadu Olympic City, and Motor Sports City, in Chennai.
The Chief Minister announced three major developmental initiatives to boost the state’s infrastructure and global standing. He said the government aims to replace the current, fragmented administrative set up at Fort St. George with a new, state-of-the-art administrative complex as the current location faces space constraints and historical preservation limitations.
“The new project, estimated at Rs 1,200 crore, will span 20 lakh square feet in Chennai, integrating all government departments into a modern, accessible, and eco-friendly facility while preserving the heritage of the existing Fort St. George,” Vijay said, amidst thumping of tables by the Treasury.
On the space constraints at the existing location, Vijay said, “The government has control only over a small portion (approximately 4 acres) of the 107-acre Fort St. George campus, as the rest is managed by the Defence and the Archaeological Survey of India.” Over the last 40 years, the number of government departments, staff, and administrative responsibilities have increased significantly, leading to overcrowding in the current, ageing infrastructure.
“To ensure efficient, world-class administration for the coming century, it is necessary to consolidate all government departments into one modern, accessible, and eco-friendly complex,” the Chief Minister explained. The complex will include advanced facilities such as fire safety systems, accessibility features for individuals with disabilities, and will be built according to green building standards.
On the amenities, he said it will feature ample parking, conference halls, public service centers, and modern facilities for government staff. The facility will provide updated, modern amenities for government staff to enhance their working environment. While the new complex is being built, the historical buildings within Fort St. George will be preserved as heritage site for future generations.
Vijay, however, did not specify a precise location for the construction site within the city. Incidentally, the M Karunanidhi-led 2006-11 DMK regime had shifted the Secretariat-Assembly complex to nearby Omandurar Government Estate, with legislature sessions also being held there for some time. However, the subsequent AIADMK government, led by J Jayalalithaa, later converted the building into a multi-speciality hospital and returned to Fort St George.
Earlier, the AIADMK also planned to shift the Secretariat elsewhere, but the plan did not materialise. In the Assembly, Vijay said the proposed Tamil Nadu Olympic City is designed as an integrated, world-class sports complex to support athletes in winning medals at national and international events.
According to the announcement, the facility will include world-class sports arenas and state-of-the-art sports equipment, a high-performance training center to boost athlete efficiency, and modern accommodation facilities for athletes and their coaches. The Motor Sports City, on the other hand, aims to promote motor sports, host international-standard racing events (like Formula 1, 2, 3, and 4), and provide training to nurture professional racers, thereby boosting sports tourism and the economy, Vijay said, acknowledging Tamil Nadu’s status as a leading automobile manufacturing hub.
