Stalin opposes govt’s new Secretariat plan near Beach

Chennai: DMK President MK Stalin on Monday strongly opposed the TVK government’s proposal to build a new Secretariat-Assembly complex near the Marina Beach here and warned of massive protest along with fishermen if the plan was not dropped. The former chief minister said a new Secretariat is not needed in a congested locality by destroying the livelihoods and the neighbourhood of fishermen. Such a complex is for the CM to work and not to gaze at the sea, the Dravidian party chief said sarcastically.

The party denounced the proposal in the strongest terms and described it as a “unilateral move” that would devastate the fishermen. In a statement here, Stalin assured his party’s full support to the protest of fishermen who oppose the project in their area.

“If the anti-fishermen TVK government continues with arrogance, the work for construction of the Secretariat in Pattinapakkam (Foreshore Estate), I warn that the DMK, together with the fishermen, will launch a massive protest.” “We will crush TVK regime’s arrogance which has not withdrawn the Government Order (GO) on constructing a new Secretariat building despite opposition from parties supporting it,” he said in a statement.

Stalin said the government must pay heed to the cries of fishermen and withdraw the GO and Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay must openly declare that the proposal will be scrapped. The government should come forward to build dwellings for the fishermen in the site earmarked for the project. On Monday, several representatives of fishermen associations in the Pattinapakkam area called on Stalin at DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam and presented a representation seeking support to stall the proposal.

“Representatives of fishermen associations met me today in this regard. I would live to make it known that we will stand shoulder to shoulder with our fishermen brothers till such time the TVK regime backtracks. The DMK extends its full support to fishermen who are staging protests against the move,” he said.

Stating that there are several sites to build a new Secretariat, Stalin claimed of news reports suggesting that the current choice was due to the advice of an astrologer who had advised that the “CM’s office must face the sea.”

Recalling that former chief minister, M Karunanidhi had built a new secretariat at the Omadurar Government Estate area (which was transformed into a Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital by late CM J Jayalalithaa), Stalin said the hospital may be shifted elsewhere and it could be used as the Secretariat.

The livelihoods of thousands of fishermen getting destroyed cannot be accepted for the sake of one individual’s desire. The selected location is surrounded by numerous schools and has severe traffic congestion. If the Secretariat is built here, students and the public will face immense hardship. Near the proposed site, there are fishing hamlets and 12 residential areas within a one-kilometer radius. Stalin expressed shock that the government is firm on its choice despite the strong opposition of Left parties that support the government.

Further, he said that the TVK ministers had claimed that “the CM had not taken a decision and only a Detailed Project Report has been mandated by the government,” and this was to deceive the people. “Do they think the people and opposition will believe their lies,” he said underlining that the claim of having made “no decision” was untenable as a GO had already been issued.

A total of 25.55 acres have been pooled from government entities/departments--Tamil Nadu Housing Board (22.89 acres), Revenue Department 1.73 acres, and the Greater Chennai Corporation (0.93 acres) for the Rs 1,200 crore project. The GO, dated September 8, 2026, directed the Public Works Department to submit a detailed project report (DPR) along with final cost estimates within three months. Besides main opposition DMK, major Dravidian party AIADMK is among other key parties that oppose the project.

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