Chennai
The state public works department is facing pressure from the information department to fix the tariff for the newly constructed Kalaivanar Arangam on Wallajah Road, as the latter is flooded with queries to rent the hall for various functions.
Kalaivanar Arangam was built at an estimated Rs 62.73 crore by the present government after the original building was demolished in 2009 when the DMK government planned to shift the Secretariat to the Omandur Government Estate. The state of the art building with escalators and seven lifts, built over 1.94 lakh sq.ft, was inaugurated through video conferencing by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on February 14.
But with minor works yet to be completed, the PWD sources said that “a Government order (GO) is expected in a day or two fixing the rent.” In a city where getting good halls to conduct events including marriages is hard, many feel that Kalaivanar Arangam will meet this need. What adds to the attraction is that government rates will definitely be lesser than that of private buildings.
Facilites available
The fully air conditioned building, built on three levels, has halls on the first and second floor with 1,100 seating capacity while the third floor has seating for 1,300. The three halls have facilities to screen films and the PWD recently undertook a trial run by screening an old film to check the building’s acoustics. The building also has parking available for 50 four wheelers and 100 two wheelers in its basement while another 200 four wheelers and 500 two wheelers can be parked in the extensive grounds.
Though the building boasts of food courts inside, there is no kitchen, a necessity if the building is to be rented for marriages.
The presence of a Kaliamman temple has bolstered the idea that the Arangam can also be used for marriages. It now waits to be seen whether the government will give in to this demand.
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