CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu govt is planning to move the state secretariat out of the 17th-century Fort St George to a new administrative complex to be built outside the core city, sources told TOI.Meanwhile, chief minister C Joseph Vijay, who is in agreement with several ministers on the space constraints in the heritage building, is likely to move into a refurbished office on the tenth floor of Namakkal Kavignar Maligai, the administrative block on the fort premises. “The proposal to move the CMO is undergoing a security review,” an official said.Key ministers are involved in the discussions on setting up the new secretariat complex. Sites such as Foreshore Estate and the Highways Research Station campus in Guindy figured in the talks, but CM was not in favour of these places, sources said. “The govt has realized the dire need for a new place to work from,” said a person privy to the discussions. “Heritage protection guidelines restrict new construction within the fort that is under the department of defence. Parking and amenities have also been concerns for a long time.”Tamil Nadu Secretariat Association president G Venkatesan said the offices of some departments, such as finance, are so cramped that employees are unable to move around freely. “If a fire breaks out, there could be casualties,” he said.In 2003, then chief minister J Jayalalithaa proposed a new administrative complex on the Queen Mary’s College campus, but the plan was abandoned following protests by students and heritage conservationists. DMK govt later constructed a new assembly-secretariat complex, which opened at Omandurar Government Estate on Anna Salai in 2010. AIADMK returned to power in 2011 and Jayalalithaa converted it into a hospital and shifted the secretariat back to Fort St George. Jayalalithaa inaugurated the six-floor hospital via video conference on Feb 21, 2014, to extend advanced medical treatment to people.Days after assuming office this May, Vijay toured Fort St George and inspected significant structures including St Mary’s Church, Clive Building, Barracks, George Gate, Museum and National Flag Gallery. ASI officials briefed the chief minister about the archaeological importance of the Fort.During the previous govt, secretariat employees had urged then chief minister M K Stalin to shift the administrative complex to Omandurar Estate.
