DMK opposes Pattinapakkam project, wants Omandurar Hospital back as Secretariat
The building functioned as a Secretariat before former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's government converted it into a hospital amid a political dispute with Karunanidhi.
The DMK has opposed the Tamil Nadu government’s plan to build a new Secretariat and Assembly complex at Pattinapakkam in Chennai, saying the site would affect fishing communities. It wants the government to consider converting the Omandurar Government Super Speciality Hospital back into a Secretariat instead.
Speaking exclusively to India Today, DMK MP P Wilson said the Omandurar complex had been built as a Secretariat during former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi’s tenure and could be restored to its original purpose.
“The structure was designed to be used as a Secretariat. With minor repairs, it can be reconverted back into a Secretariat,” Wilson said.
The building functioned as a Secretariat before former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s government converted it into a hospital amid a political dispute with Karunanidhi. Wilson did not provide details of the work or cost involved in reversing that conversion.
“We oppose the Secretariat coming up in Pattinapakkam. It will affect the fishermen community, and we will not allow it,” he said.
The Joseph C Vijay government has identified 25.55 acres at Foreshore Estate in Pattinapakkam for a new complex housing the Secretariat and Legislative Assembly. A government order sent to the Public (Buildings) Department set out the proposed site. The project has been estimated to cost Rs 1,200 crore.
Fishing communities from 12 nearby hamlets have warned of protests if construction goes ahead. Residents say more than 1,500 fishing families use the area to anchor boats, mend nets, dry fish and run markets. They fear the project could restrict their access to the sea and eventually displace them.
Opposition to the site extends beyond the DMK.
CPI(M) state secretary P Shanmugam has urged the government to halt work and convene an all-party meeting before choosing a location. CPI state secretary M Veerapandian has raised concerns about the coastal environment and the site’s exposure to flooding and cyclones.
PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss has warned that a Secretariat near Santhome High Road and Greenways Road would worsen traffic congestion. He has instead proposed a larger administrative city outside Chennai.
Other parties have called for public consultation and closer scrutiny of the project’s effect on fishing communities.