Tamil Nadu CM Vijay announces plan for new integrated Secretariat complex in Chennai

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Thursday (September 3, 2026) introduced a plan to assemble a brand new built-in Secretariat advanced in Chennai, unfold over 20 lakh sq. ft., at an estimated price of ₹1,200 crore. At current, the State’s Legislative Meeting and Secretariat are functioning on the historic Fort St. George campus close to Marina Seashore.

The advanced will comprise the Legislative Meeting and places of work of the Chief Minister, Ministers and numerous departments, with fashionable amenities, to make sure environment friendly governance and create world-class public administration infrastructure, meant to satisfy the necessities of the following 100 years, he mentioned.

Mr. Vijay didn’t point out the positioning the place the proposed Secretariat would come up.

Making a suo motu assertion within the Meeting, Mr. Vijay mentioned a contemporary administrative advanced can be developed with fire-safety amenities, accessibility for individuals with disabilities and in accordance with inexperienced constructing requirements. Sufficient parking amenities, convention halls, public service centres and fashionable facilities for officers would even be supplied.

Historical past of Fort St. George

Recalling the historical past of Fort St. George, Mr. Vijay mentioned its building was begun in 1640 by the English East India Firm on land acquired for its industrial operations and was accomplished in 1644. After being elevated to the standing of a Presidency in 1652, it served because the official headquarters of British rule. After Independence, it continued to perform because the Secretariat of the Authorities of Tamil Nadu. For practically 400 years, it has served as the executive centre of the State and as a logo of its governance heritage, he mentioned.

‘Main land management underneath Defence Ministry, ASI’

Of the 107-acre Fort St. George campus, solely about 4 acres are being utilized by the Secretariat and are underneath the management of the Tamil Nadu authorities. Because the remaining space is underneath the management of the Union Ministry of Defence and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), it has not been attainable to develop or undertake growth of the campus, he mentioned.

At current, the Secretariat features from two buildings. Fort St. George, referred to as the primary Secretariat constructing, was initially constructed because the Governor’s residence. It now homes the Legislative Meeting, the places of work of the Chief Minister, Ministers and the Chief Secretary, the Finance Division and different necessary departments. The advanced has a built-up space of two.07 lakh sq. ft, Mr. Vijay mentioned.

To fulfill the increasing administrative necessities of the State authorities, Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai was constructed in 1978, with a floor ground and 10 flooring, protecting an space of three.75 lakh sq. ft. Secretaries and officers of assorted departments, in addition to greater than 6,000 workers of over 30 authorities departments, work in these buildings, he mentioned.

Because of the scarcity of house, a brand new Secretariat was constructed on the Omandurar Authorities Property (throughout Karunanidhi’s final tenure as Chief Minister) with the target of enhancing administrative effectivity. Subsequently, because the constructing was transformed right into a multi-speciality hospital and medical faculty (by the Jayalalithaa regime), the Secretariat has continued to perform from the Fort St. George campus, Mr. Vijay mentioned.

Over the previous 40 years, the variety of personnel in all authorities departments performing from the Secretariat and their administrative tasks have elevated considerably. Nonetheless, as the present infrastructure has remained largely unchanged, it has reached a state of stagnation. Additional, because the remaining areas inside Fort St. George are Defence and ASI land, extra buildings can’t be constructed and growth works can’t be undertaken.

Fort St. George buildings to be preserved as heritage buildings

Though Fort St. George has served as a proud image of the executive historical past of the Authorities of Tamil Nadu, it’s important to determine an built-in new Secretariat advanced to satisfy the State’s future administrative necessities. The heritage buildings of Fort St. George shall be preserved as heritage buildings, he added.