TN Govt should build new secretariat complex outside Chennai, says Anbumani

PMK President Anbumani Ramadoss. | Photo credit: S. SIVA SARAVANAN

PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss said on Tuesday (Oct 20, 2026) that the Tamil Nadu government should look at building a new secretariat complex outside Chennai, as proposed by his party, and abandon plans to build it within the city limits.

In a statement, he expressed shock at reports that the state government is now considering building a new secretariat on the land occupied by Pallavan Illam at Anna Salai against the earlier proposal to build it at Pattinapakkam. “The Tamil Nadu government must clarify whether the media reports about the construction of the secretariat in Pallavan Illam are true. If there are many reasons and justifications for not constructing the new secretariat in Pattinapakkam, there are hundred times more compelling reasons not to construct it in Pallavan Illam,” he said.

According to Dr. Anbumani would not be able to solve traffic jams.

“If the most congested places in Chennai were to be ranked, the area around Pallavan Illam would be among the top three. Anna Salai, one of the major roads in Chennai, is already facing severe traffic jams. If the new secretariat is set up in Pallavan Illam, controlling the traffic jams on Anna Salai would become virtually impossible,” he said.

According to Dr. Anbumani’s entire site at Pallavan Illam measures only 13.22 acres, while the area of ​​the site at Pattinapakkam is approximately 26.36 acres.

“During the DMK government led by former chief minister M. Karunanidhi, 39.54 acres were earmarked in 2007 for the construction of a new secretariat in the Omandurar government estate. The land occupied by buildings originally constructed for the headquarters of the secretariat and legislative assembly secretariat now houses the Omandurar Multi Super Specialty Hospital and a medical college19.”

Published – 20 October 2026 23:48 IST