New Secretariat Cum Assembly Complex in Chennai to Cost Rs 1,200 Crore

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay announced on Thursday in the State Assembly that a new integrated Secretariat and Legislative Assembly complex will be constructed in Chennai at an estimated cost of Rs 1,200 crore. The proposed campus will span 20 lakh square feet, though the Chief Minister did not specify the exact location for the project within the city.

Making the announcement under Rule 110, Vijay stated that the new complex will bring all government departments together under a single administrative campus. The facility will be equipped with modern infrastructure, fire-safety installations, facilities for the movement and access of persons with disabilities, and standards conforming to green-building norms. The project will also include parking facilities, conference halls, public service centres, and amenities for administrative officials.

The decision was necessitated by expanding administrative responsibilities and severe space limitations at Fort St George, which has served as Tamil Nadu's administrative headquarters for nearly 400 years. The East India Company completed construction of the fort in 1644 on land purchased in 1640, and it became the seat of British authority after Madras was elevated to a Presidency in 1652. Although the fort complex covers roughly 107 acres, only around four acres are under the control of the State Government, while the remaining land is held by the Ministry of Defence and the Archaeological Survey of India, preventing further expansion.

Administrative operations at Fort St George are currently split across two main structures. The original main building, covering a floor area of 2,07,000 square feet, houses the Legislative Assembly, the chambers of the Chief Minister, Ministers, and the Chief Secretary, along with key departments including Finance. The second structure, Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai, was built in 1978 with a ground floor and ten upper floors covering 3,75,000 square feet, accommodating more than 6,000 employees from over 30 departments.

Vijay noted that over the past four decades, government personnel and responsibilities had increased significantly while administrative infrastructure remained largely unchanged. Earlier efforts to construct a new administrative headquarters included a complex built at the Omandurar Government Estate under former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, which was subsequently converted into a multi-speciality hospital and medical college in 2011 under J Jayalalithaa. Previous plans pursued by Jayalalithaa included a 2,000-acre administrative city near Mamallapuram in 2002, a proposal at Queen Mary's College beachfront in 2003-2004, and a site in Kotturpuram, all of which were abandoned.

Vijay stated that the historic buildings at Fort St George will be conserved to protect their architectural and heritage value for future generations as the state prepares to shift its administrative centre to the new facility.