the DMK government. a disputed heritage structure at the King’s Barracks site in Fort St. George
Built in 1756 and extended in 1762, the barracks housed the Royal Regiment from the start and served the purpose of British battalions for two centuries. | Photo credit: JOTHI RAMALINGAM B
The previous DMK government led by MP Stalin, which had toyed with the idea of shifting the secretariat and assembly from Fort St. George, unsuccessfully tried to construct a multi-storey heritage building on the site of King’s Barracks, located behind Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai.
A senior official explains the reasons for this attempt and recalls that due to lack of space in the main block of the fort and in the 10-storey building of Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai, it was proposed to construct a horizontal building keeping in mind the heritage character of the site. However, the proposal did not receive the approval of the defense authorities, which retained the building, which is on the verge of collapse.
In an article in The Hindu dated 27 May 2026, writer V. Sriram attributed the condition of the building to differences between the Army and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). As far as the ASI is concerned, the entire fort premises are under its management, as the fort is legally protected and the government and the army are only “occupiers” of the premises. In 2014, ASI even announced that it would renovate the structure, which is said to be the largest in the country. After that, nothing much was heard.
Built in 1756 and extended in 1762, the barracks housed the Royal Regiment from the start and served the purpose of British battalions for about two centuries.
Bar on construction
Another official explains that no construction is allowed within 300m of an archaeological site or national monument, except for defence. “To carry out repairs at the Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai, the state government has to obtain permission from the National Monuments Authority,” the official points out. Due to the ban on construction in the zone, the Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK government could only construct an arch at the war memorial to mark the diamond jubilee of the state assembly.
After the inauguration of the Kalaignar Centenary Super Specialty Hospital (KCSSH) in Guindy in June 2023, there was talk in official circles that many sections of the DMK regime would like to return to the Omandurar government seat, where the Secretariat and Assembly complex functioned for a year in 2010-11 when M. Karunanidhief was the minister. But due to a “lack of consensus” between the government’s political leadership and civil servants, the idea was shelved.
Another idea that has caught the attention of policymakers is that after the demolition of the Ezhilagam building (which houses the offices of the Commissioner of Revenue and Land Administration and Commissioner of Civil Supplies, among others) and two nearby buildings, including the one housing the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board, a horizontal, multi-storey structure could be constructed. The proposed horizontal structure could be elevated with respect to the heritage structure of the adjacent Water Resources Department administrative building.
In response to this proposal, the official replies that the space is not sufficient to accommodate all the offices of the state government as the idea is to place them in one place. There are about 25 offices in Ezhilagam too. “Why demolish one or two buildings when there is vacant land,” asks the official, justifying the choice of the Foreshore Estate as the site for the Secretariat and Assembly complex.
Published – 17 Sep 2026 0:36 IST