Chennai, 11 September (H.S.): AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami has urged the Tamil Nadu government to abandon its proposal to construct a new Secretariat complex at Pattinapakkam, arguing that the project is unnecessary amid the State’s financial difficulties.

In a statement, Palaniswami questioned the government’s plan to borrow ₹1,200 crore to build the administrative complex near Pattinapakkam beach along Santhome Road. He said the government should prioritise pressing public concerns, including farmers’ demands and unresolved social welfare issues, instead of taking on additional debt for the project.

The former Chief Minister also raised concerns about the suitability of Pattinapakkam as the proposed location. The coastal locality is already densely populated and experiences heavy vehicular movement. Fishermen’s settlements, residential neighbourhoods and schools are situated in and around the area.

Establishing a large government complex there would increase the daily movement of officials, employees, visitors and vehicles, further straining the existing road infrastructure. This could aggravate traffic congestion and cause considerable inconvenience to residents, Palaniswami said.

He recalled that previous AIADMK governments headed by former Chief Ministers M.G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa had explored the possibility of establishing a new Secretariat at a suitable location. Those efforts, he said, were aimed at identifying a site with adequate space and without serious traffic or accessibility problems.

Palaniswami maintained that the construction of a new Secretariat could be considered after Tamil Nadu’s financial position improves. Any future site should be selected only after a careful assessment of its accessibility, space requirements, environmental impact and potential effect on surrounding communities, he added.

He called upon Chief Minister Joseph Vijay to reconsider the decision in the broader public interest. The government should immediately withdraw the Pattinapakkam proposal and concentrate its financial resources on addressing the State’s urgent economic, agricultural and welfare priorities, Palaniswami said.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman