PMK Leader Criticizes Tamil Nadu Governments Secretariat Relocation Plan
PMKs Dr. Ambumani Ramadas questions Tamil Nadus decision to move the new secretariat to Pallavan Illam, citing traffic and environmental concerns.
Chennai, October 20 (Daily Kiran) : Dr. Ambumani Ramadas, president of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), has taken aim at the Tamil Nadu government over its plans for a new secretariat. Reports suggest the government has abandoned its initial decision to construct the secretariat on Housing Board land in Pattinapakkam. Instead, it is now considering building it at Pallavan Illam on Anna Salai. An official announcement is expected within a week, a move that Ramadas finds astonishing.
He urged the Tamil Nadu government to clarify whether the reports about the new location are accurate. If true, he views the decision to forgo Pattinapakkam as a positive step. However, he believes that relocating to Pallavan Illam would be a significant mistake.
Ramadas outlined several reasons against constructing the secretariat in Pallavan Illam. He pointed out that this area ranks among the top three most congested zones in Chennai. Traffic on Anna Salai is already severely impacted, and placing the new secretariat there would exacerbate the situation, making it nearly impossible to manage traffic flow.
The proposed site, located near the banks of the Coovam River, poses additional environmental risks. A secretariat occupying 20 lakh square feet could harm the surrounding ecosystem and increase flood risks. The site’s boundaries, which include Anna Salai to the south, Pallavan Salai to the east, the Coovam River to the west, and the St. Mary War Cemetery and Bodyguard Muniswarar Temple to the north, would also complicate any future expansion of the secretariat.
Ramadas reiterated that Tamil Nadu has needed a new secretariat for over 25 years. He emphasized that the construction should commence promptly and should take place in a spacious area equipped with necessary facilities, designed with foresight to meet future demands.
He recalled that during the assembly discussions, Chief Minister Vijay promised a design that would accommodate the needs of the next century. However, Ramadas argued that neither Pattinapakkam nor Pallavan Illam would be suitable locations. Instead, he called for the development of an integrated administrative city outside Chennai, covering at least 500 to 1,000 acres, which would include the new secretariat.
He concluded by appealing to the Tamil Nadu government to adopt an open-minded and visionary approach regarding the new secretariat’s construction, urging that it be built outside Chennai as per PMK’s proposal.
