Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Thursday unveiled a grand makeover plan for Chennai, announcing a Rs 1,200-crore new Secretariat-cum-Legislative Assembly complex, a world-class Olympic City and a dedicated Motor Sports City aimed at bringing Formula 1 and other international racing events to the state capital.
The three major announcements, made in the Assembly under Rule 110, seek to reshape Chennai’s administrative and sporting infrastructure while positioning the city as a global destination for governance and elite sports.
NEW SECRETARIAT AND ASSEMBLY COMPLEX
Vijay announced plans to construct a new integrated Secretariat and Legislative Assembly complex in Chennai, with a built-up area of 20 lakh square feet at an estimated cost of Rs 1,200 crore.
The new complex will bring all state government departments together on a single administrative campus, replacing the current fragmented arrangement at Fort St George.
The Chief Minister said the move was necessary to meet Tamil Nadu’s administrative requirements for the next 100 years.
Fort St George, which has served as the administrative headquarters of the state for nearly 400 years, has severe space constraints.
Of its approximately 107-acre campus, only around four acres is under the control of the Tamil Nadu government for Secretariat use. The remaining land is controlled by the Defence Ministry and the Archaeological Survey of India, making major expansion difficult.
The present Secretariat functions from two buildings — the historic Fort St George complex and Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai.
The new complex will feature modern fire-safety systems, accessibility facilities for persons with disabilities and green-building standards. It will also have parking facilities, conference halls, public service centres and modern amenities for government employees.
Vijay said the historic buildings at Fort St George would be preserved as heritage structures.
The proposed move comes years after the previous DMK government shifted the Secretariat and Assembly to the Omandurar Government Estate. The subsequent AIADMK government converted that complex into a multi-speciality hospital and moved the Secretariat back to Fort St George.
Vijay did not specify the exact location of the proposed new complex.
WORLD-CLASS OLYMPIC CITY
In another major announcement, the Chief Minister unveiled plans for a Tamil Nadu Olympic City in Chennai.
The project, to be developed by the Tamil Nadu Sports Development Authority, will feature world-class sports arenas, state-of-the-art sporting equipment and a high performance training centre.
It will also have dedicated Sports Science and Sports Medicine centres, along with accommodation facilities for athletes and coaches.
The stated objective is to help Tamil Nadu athletes win more medals at the Olympic Games and other major international sporting events.
CHENNAI’S FORMULA 1 DREAM
The Chief Minister also announced a dedicated Motor Sports City in Chennai, with an eye on hosting international-standard Formula racing events.
The facility is planned to host races across Formula 1, Formula 2, Formula 3 and Formula 4, besides providing training facilities to nurture professional racers.
The government also sees the project as a way to boost motorsport, sports tourism and the wider economy.
The announcement comes as India itself explores the possibility of bringing Formula 1 racing back to the country.
In June, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports constituted a task force to examine motorsport, with a stated vision of bringing Formula 1 back to India by the end of 2028.
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