Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay speaks during the ongoing budget session of the state Legislative Assembly, in Chennai
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TN Assembly/ANI Video Grab
The Tamil Nadu government plans to move the Assembly and Secretariat from Fort St George to another location in Chennai citing severe space constraints and the inability to expand the existing facilities. The project is likely to cost ₹1,200 crore, announced Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay in the Assembly on Thursday.The new facility in 2 million sq ft will have a modern administrative complex with firefighting facilities, accessibility for the disabled, and green building standards.Adequate parking spaces, conference halls, public service centers, and modern facilities for officials will be provided.All government departments will be brought together and integrated into a single administrative complex, he said.Making a statement under Rule 110 in the Assembly, Chief Minister Vijay tracing the history of Fort St. George, the said the fort was built on land purchased by the East India Company in Chennai for its trading operations and was completed in 1644. It later became the headquarters of British rule after being elevated to the status of a Presidency in 1652.Following Independence, Fort St. George continued to serve as the seat of the Tamil Nadu government and has remained the State’s administrative centre for nearly four centuries.However, Vijay said only around four acres of the approximately 107-acre Fort St. George complex is under the control of the Tamil Nadu government for Secretariat operations. The remaining land is controlled by the Defence Ministry and the Archaeological Survey of India, limiting the government’s ability to expand or modernise the existing administrative infrastructure.The Namakkal Kavinar Maligai, constructed in 1978 and spread over 3.75 lakh square feet, has a ground floor and 10 upper floors and accommodates several government departments. More than 6,000 employees from over 30 departments work from the existing Secretariat buildings.Vijay said the number of government employees and the administrative responsibilities of various departments have increased significantly over the past four decades, while the available infrastructure has remained largely unchanged.The Chief Minister said the heritage buildings within Fort St. George would be preserved as historical monuments, with their architectural and heritage value protected for future generations.The CM did not specify the location of the planned complex.Published on September 3, 2026
