Abandon Pattinapakkam Assembly-cum-Secretariat complex project, insists PIL plea before Madras High Court

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Aerial view of the site proposed by the TVK government for the new Secretariat complex, at Pattinapakkam (Foreshore Estate) | Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam

The Madras High Court is all set to hear on Monday (October 5, 2026) a public interest litigation petition which has sought a direction to the Tamil Nadu government to abandon its plan to construct a new Legislative Assembly-cum-Secretariat complex on 25.55 acres at Pattinappakkam (Foreshore Estate) in Chennai.

The PIL plea has been listed for admission before the First Division Bench of Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan. Chennai-based advocate R.S. Tamilvendan had filed the PIL petition.

The petitioner said he was shocked to come across news reports that the State government had given in-principle approval for the construction of the Assembly-cum-Secretariat complex on the 25.55-acre land belonging to the Tamil Nadu Housing Board, which was basically meant for constructing low-cost flats for the people.

Mr. Tamilvendan said that the Assembly-cum-Secretariat located right now at Fort St. George was the most ideal location since it was close to the Puatchi Thalaivar M.G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station, the Madras High Court buildings, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital and many other public facilities.

He brought to the notice of the court that both the Legislative Assembly and the Secretariat had been functioning from Fort St. George for decades. Although the DMK government, between 2006 and 2011, built a new complex on Anna Salai, the subsequent AIADMK government converted it into a government hospital.

Claiming that the existing buildings at Fort St. George could be renovated instead of spending ₹1,200 crore on a new complex, especially at a time when the government was facing a severe financial crisis, the petitioner said the interests of the fishermen residing in and around Pattinapakkam could also be saved if the proposal was dropped.

He also told the court that the construction of the new complex at Pattinapakkam could lead to heavy traffic congestion in the locality and said that a representation made by him to the government authorities in this regard on September 12, 2026, was considered. He urged the court to stay the construction until the disposal of the PIL petition.

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