Thiruvidanthai considered as alternate site for new Tamil Nadu secretariat

Chennai: Thiruvidanthai on the East Coast Road has returned to public discussion as a possible alternative location for Tamil Nadu’s proposed Assembly-cum-secretariat complex amid mounting opposition to the government’s plan to build it at Foreshore Estate in Chennai.

However, a senior government official denied reports that the Foreshore Estate proposal was being reconsidered or that Thiruvidanthai was formally under examination as an alternative site.

Political parties and fishermen’s organisations opposing the Foreshore Estate project have urged the government to think beyond constructing a standalone Assembly and secretariat building.

They want a spacious location to be identified for an integrated administrative city capable of meeting the state’s requirements for several decades.

The East Coast Road corridor has been suggested because of the availability of large tracts of land and the possibility of future expansion.

The debate has also revived an earlier government proposal to establish an administrative city in the Thiruvidanthai-Thaiyur region.

In the early 2000s, the state government had examined a plan to create a major administrative centre outside Chennai. The original proposal covered around 2,000 acres near Mamallapuram before attention shifted to Thiruvidanthai and the adjoining Thaiyur area.

The plan was wider in scope than a new secretariat building and envisaged relocating several government offices and developing supporting infrastructure. It was not pursued as an immediate solution because officials estimated that creating an administrative city of that scale could take between 15 and 20 years.

The government subsequently considered several sites within Chennai, including educational institution campuses, for constructing a new secretariat complex.

Fishermen’s organisations opposing the Foreshore Estate location have now described Thiruvidanthai as a suitable alternative. They have, however, stressed that improved road and public transport connectivity would be essential because of its distance from central Chennai.

Easy access for people travelling from other districts should also be ensured.

Opposition parties have suggested developing an integrated administrative city on 500 to 1,000 acres outside Chennai instead of limiting the project to a single complex.

The final decision will require a detailed assessment of land availability, transport links, environmental impact and infrastructure costs.

Scope for future expansion, disaster resilience and accessibility to the public will also be crucial, as the proposed administrative headquarters is expected to serve Tamil Nadu for the next century.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

IANS

[email protected]