CM Vijay to announce plans for new Secretariat complex; Pattinapakkam, Guindy Race Course shortlisted

CHENNAI: Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay is set to announce plans for a new Secretariat complex during the ongoing Assembly session, official sources told DT Next. This is the third plan after an abortive bid by the then chief minister J Jayalalithaa in 2003 and then by her successor M Karunanidhi, who managed to build the structure, only for it to be converted into a hospital.

“The announcement will be made during the current Assembly session though the location has not been finalised. The government is considering a few locations, including Pattinapakkam and the Guindy Race Course,” an official said.

The hunt for a new space to shift the Secretariat complex from the present congested space in Fort St George has a long history in Tamil Nadu. On January 31, 2003, the then chief minister Jayalalithaa announced in the Assembly that Queen Mary’s College would be demolished to make way for a new Secretariat. However, the proposal had to be dropped due to strong protests from students.

Later, chief minister M Karunanidhi revived the idea and his government constructed a new Secretariat complex at Omandurar Government Estate towards the end of its tenure. But it was short lived, as Jaya returned to power in 2011 and converted the building into a multi super speciality hospital.

Meanwhile, pending a decision on the new Secretariat, the government is preparing to shift the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) to the 10th floor of Namakkal Kavignar Maligai by the first week of December. According to a PWD official, the government is examining whether the MLA Constituency Development Fund could be used for the modification work.

The proposed relocation has also led to concerns over the impact on Secretariat staff working in offices adjoining the CMO. The shifting of some offices has, therefore, been deferred.

“No office has been shifted outside the Secretariat even after the 10th floor was identified for the CMO. The offices located closest to the CMO will be shifted within the existing Secretariat complex,” a Secretariat official said.