CMO being relocated due to space issues, Aadhav tells Assembly; announces white paper on tender works soon

CHENNAI: Public Works Department Minister Aadhav Arjuna on Tuesday (August 18) announced in the Assembly that the TVK-led government would soon release a white paper detailing tender-related developments in the Public Works and Highways departments over the past five years.

He was responding to DMK leader EV Velu's questions over the relocation of the The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), and allegations of irregularities in the tender process for the work.

The CMO, which has functioned from the Secretariat building at Fort St George for more than five decades, is being shifted to Namakkal Kavignar Maligai to improve administrative convenience.

CMO relocation work under way, says Aadhav Arjuna

Aadhav Arjuna told the Assembly that work is currently under way on the 10th floor of Namakkal Kavingar Maligai to establish the new office, including a chamber for Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and rooms for his personal secretaries. The Tamil Nadu Public Works Department has invited tenders worth Rs 5.54 crore for the work, according to a Daily Thanthi report.

Responding to Velu's allegations on the tender process, Aadhav Arjuna said the tender process had not yet been completed and questioned the basis for raising corruption allegations at this stage. He said tender estimates are generally prepared based on the construction cost, with a margin of around 3 to 7 per cent added, however, the department had proceeded using estimates from the previous year.

The Minister also announced that the government would soon release a white paper detailing tender-related developments in the Public Works and Highways departments over the past five years. He said 20 tenders had been cancelled and re-issued in the last 60 days, with the new bids coming in at rates 25 to 30 per cent lower.

Aadhav Arjuna explains need for CMO relocation

Aadhav Arjuna said the relocation was being undertaken primarily to provide adequate space and facilities for the Chief Minister and his staff. He pointed out that the Chief Minister regularly meets government officials and foreign representatives and requires adequate space for such meetings. He said the Chief Minister’s personal secretaries are currently working in a room measuring less than 100 sq ft and that proper restroom facilities are also unavailable.

The Minister said both former Chief Ministers M Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa had envisioned the construction of a new Secretariat and claimed there was broad agreement on the need for better administrative infrastructure. Aadhav Arjuna also hit out at what he described as misinformation surrounding the relocation.

Referring to Vijay’s lifestyle during election campaigns, he said the Chief Minister had eaten at ordinary eateries and rested for only short periods inside campaign vehicles. He maintained that the shift was being carried out for practical administrative reasons and to provide better working facilities for the Chief Minister and his staff.