Tamil Nadu legislative assembly-secretariat complex
Encyclopedia
Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and Secretariat Complex (தமிழ்நாடு தலைமை செயலகம் மற்றும் சட்டசபை வளாகம்) also known as the Omandurar Government Estate is a complex of buildings constructed at Government estate grounds off Anna Salai
in Chennai
, Tamil Nadu
. The complex is named after O. P. Ramaswamy Reddiyar
. The building when completely constructed will house the assembly
hall, secretariat and offices of the chief minister and cabinet ministers. The last session in the old assembly building at Fort St. George was held on January 11, 2010 by the former DMK government. As of 24 May 2011, the new AIADMK government has abandoned the building and moved back to the former legislative building, Fort St. George. On Friday, 19 August 2011, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Miss J Jayalalithaa announced in the state legislative assembly that the A-Block in new Secretariat complex, built by the previous DMK regime, would be converted into a multi-super specialty hospital and B-Block would be constructed as a government medical college.
was the Chief minister. He floated idea of constructing an assembly complex in front of Marina beach
and even moving to Tiruchirappalli during severe water scarcity in Chennai city. The idea was later revived again in 2002 when J. Jayalalitha was the chief minister. She announced in the Assembly that the government was considering a 2,000-acre administrative city near Maamallapuram. Later it was stated that the proposed city would come up in Thiruvidanthai and Thaiyur villages, about 40 km south of Chennai. In January 2003, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) signed an agreement with the Construction Industry Development Board of Malaysia for a feasibility study of the administrative city project. Subsequently, Ms. Jayalalithaa informed the Assembly that as the proposed administrative city would take 15 to 25 years to build, the Secretariat would be shifted to a vacant space opposite the Marina Beach in two years. Originally, the Lady Willingdon College campus was chosen. But, since the area (about 15 acres) of the campus was found inadequate, she came up with the proposal of building a new Integrated Assembly building in the 30-acre Queen Mary's College
campus, which she announced in April 2003. But this was dropped due to opposition from the political parties and the students of the concerned college.
Five months later, the government decided to establish the Secretariat over an extent of 43 acres in Kotturpuram that belonged to Anna University, the Madras University and the State Government Data Centre. The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority was entrusted with the work of selecting the architect and the construction agency apart from being authorised to mobilise funds. It was reported that M. K. Stalin, at the time of this proposal, went to the college and supported the student's strike. In October that year, Ms. Jayalalithaa laid the foundation stone for the project. Seven months later, there was rethinking on the project.
In May 2007, when the Assembly organised celebrations to mark the completion of 50 years of association of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi with the legislature, the idea of constructing the Assembly-Secretariat complex was mooted. Mr. Karunanidhi laid the foundation stone in June 2008 and the site was formally handed over to the contractors five months later.
, a united venture of Meinhard von Gerkan and Volkwin Marg based at Berlin. The construction of the new assembly was entrusted to East Coast Constructions and Industries Limited.
With its highly visible dome, the complex has four circular courtyards, and the design echoes the structural features of Dravidian temple complexes in south India. The dome is modelled on the Draupadi Ratha at Mamallapuram and resembles the top of a Tamil temple car. The Assembly-Secretariat complex has two blocks — Block ‘A' and Block ‘B.' The seven-storey Block 'A' houses the Legislative Assembly Hall and the Assembly Secretariat, besides the offices of the Governor, the Chief Minister, Ministers, the Chief Secretary and certain core departments such as Finance and Home. The initial estimated cost of construction of this block was about INR 4255.7 million.
In December 2009, work on the construction of the seven-storey Block ‘B' started. With a initial cost estimate of INR 2795.6 million, the work was expected to be completed in 18 months. This block will house a host of departments.
The plinth area figures of Block ‘A' and Block ‘B' are 930,297 sq. ft. (86,460 sq. m) and 743,900 sq. ft., respectively. The dome is cast in stone and closed with glass and will function as the principal iconic element. A park has been created on the 5th floor of the Secretariat where the upper house is situated.
opened the building on March 13, 2010. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi
, Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin
, Indian National Congress President Sonia Gandhi
, former Andhra Pradesh
Chief Minister Konijeti Rosaiah
, Karanataka Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa, Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker R. Avudaiappan, and the Madras High Court Chief Justice H. L. Gokhalae among other dignitaries attended the ceremony.
The building is being constructed at a cost of more than INR 6,000 million. The dome is being const
Anna Salai
Anna Salai , formerly known as Mount Road, an abbreviated form of St. Thomas Mount Road, is an arterial road in Chennai, India. It starts at the Cooum Creek, south of Fort St George and ends at the Kathipara Junction in Guindy...
in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. The complex is named after O. P. Ramaswamy Reddiyar
O. P. Ramaswamy Reddiyar
Omandur Ramasamy Reddiar was an Indian freedom-fighter and politician of the Indian National Congress. He served as the Premier of Madras Presidency from March 23, 1947 to April 6, 1949.-Early life:...
. The building when completely constructed will house the assembly
Legislature of Tamil Nadu
The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly is the sole house of the unicameral Tamil Nadu Legislature. The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly alone has powers to legislate laws covering state subjects in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It has a strength of 235 members of whom 234 are democratically elected...
hall, secretariat and offices of the chief minister and cabinet ministers. The last session in the old assembly building at Fort St. George was held on January 11, 2010 by the former DMK government. As of 24 May 2011, the new AIADMK government has abandoned the building and moved back to the former legislative building, Fort St. George. On Friday, 19 August 2011, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Miss J Jayalalithaa announced in the state legislative assembly that the A-Block in new Secretariat complex, built by the previous DMK regime, would be converted into a multi-super specialty hospital and B-Block would be constructed as a government medical college.
History
Attempts to build a new assembly complex dates back to 1983 when M. G. RamachandranM. G. Ramachandran
Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran , popularly known by his initials , was an Indian film actor, director, producer and politician....
was the Chief minister. He floated idea of constructing an assembly complex in front of Marina beach
Marina Beach
Marina Beach is a beach in the city of Chennai , India, along the Bay of Bengal, part of the Indian Ocean. The beach runs from near Fort St. George in the north to Besant Nagar in the south, a distance of , making it the longest urban beach in the country and the world's second longest...
and even moving to Tiruchirappalli during severe water scarcity in Chennai city. The idea was later revived again in 2002 when J. Jayalalitha was the chief minister. She announced in the Assembly that the government was considering a 2,000-acre administrative city near Maamallapuram. Later it was stated that the proposed city would come up in Thiruvidanthai and Thaiyur villages, about 40 km south of Chennai. In January 2003, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) signed an agreement with the Construction Industry Development Board of Malaysia for a feasibility study of the administrative city project. Subsequently, Ms. Jayalalithaa informed the Assembly that as the proposed administrative city would take 15 to 25 years to build, the Secretariat would be shifted to a vacant space opposite the Marina Beach in two years. Originally, the Lady Willingdon College campus was chosen. But, since the area (about 15 acres) of the campus was found inadequate, she came up with the proposal of building a new Integrated Assembly building in the 30-acre Queen Mary's College
Queen Mary's College
Queen Mary's College is a sixth form college in Basingstoke, Hampshire, England.-The College:The majority of the college's classrooms are housed in a single, two-storey, wide spread main building with a few smaller buildings and four temporary buildings providing most of the rest of the teaching...
campus, which she announced in April 2003. But this was dropped due to opposition from the political parties and the students of the concerned college.
Five months later, the government decided to establish the Secretariat over an extent of 43 acres in Kotturpuram that belonged to Anna University, the Madras University and the State Government Data Centre. The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority was entrusted with the work of selecting the architect and the construction agency apart from being authorised to mobilise funds. It was reported that M. K. Stalin, at the time of this proposal, went to the college and supported the student's strike. In October that year, Ms. Jayalalithaa laid the foundation stone for the project. Seven months later, there was rethinking on the project.
In May 2007, when the Assembly organised celebrations to mark the completion of 50 years of association of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi with the legislature, the idea of constructing the Assembly-Secretariat complex was mooted. Mr. Karunanidhi laid the foundation stone in June 2008 and the site was formally handed over to the contractors five months later.
The New Assembly Complex
The complex is designed by German-based architect company GMPGerkan, Marg and Partners
Gerkan, Marg and Partners is an architectural company based in Hamburg, Germany. The company was founded in 1965, and now has 400 employees in 10 offices.-Awards:...
, a united venture of Meinhard von Gerkan and Volkwin Marg based at Berlin. The construction of the new assembly was entrusted to East Coast Constructions and Industries Limited.
With its highly visible dome, the complex has four circular courtyards, and the design echoes the structural features of Dravidian temple complexes in south India. The dome is modelled on the Draupadi Ratha at Mamallapuram and resembles the top of a Tamil temple car. The Assembly-Secretariat complex has two blocks — Block ‘A' and Block ‘B.' The seven-storey Block 'A' houses the Legislative Assembly Hall and the Assembly Secretariat, besides the offices of the Governor, the Chief Minister, Ministers, the Chief Secretary and certain core departments such as Finance and Home. The initial estimated cost of construction of this block was about INR 4255.7 million.
In December 2009, work on the construction of the seven-storey Block ‘B' started. With a initial cost estimate of INR 2795.6 million, the work was expected to be completed in 18 months. This block will house a host of departments.
The plinth area figures of Block ‘A' and Block ‘B' are 930,297 sq. ft. (86,460 sq. m) and 743,900 sq. ft., respectively. The dome is cast in stone and closed with glass and will function as the principal iconic element. A park has been created on the 5th floor of the Secretariat where the upper house is situated.
Revision in Project Cost
Initially, the total cost was put at around INR 7,020 million—the cost of construction of Block A was INR 4255.7 million and that of Block B was INR 2795.6 million. The revised cost as of February 2011, however, is 10,920 million. Increase in prices of inputs, additional works, design change, increase in the basement height of Block A and implementation of stringent fire safety measures and electrical safety standards as well as suggestions made from the angle of police security are cited as reasons for the increase in the project cost.Canteen
The complex will have a 3,200 sq. ft. fully air-conditioned canteen on the third floor of the complex's 'A' block. The canteen can accommodate up to 200 people at any given time.Location in Context
Inauguration
Indian prime minister Manmohan SinghManmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
opened the building on March 13, 2010. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi
M. Karunanidhi
Muthuvel Karunanidhi is an Indian politician and a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He is the head of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam , a Dravidian political party in the state of Tamil Nadu. He has been the leader of the DMK since the death of its founder, C. N...
, Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin
M.K. Stalin
Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin is an Indian politician and former actor, better known as M. K. Stalin. He is the third son of famous politician of Tamil Nadu, Karunanidhi, and was born to his second wife, Mrs. Dayalu Ammal and was named after Joseph Stalin. Stalin completed his graduation in...
, Indian National Congress President Sonia Gandhi
Sonia Gandhi
Sonia Gandhi is an Italian-born Indian politician and the President of the Indian National Congress, one of the major political parties of India. She is the widow of former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi...
, former Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
Chief Minister Konijeti Rosaiah
Konijeti Rosaiah
Konijeti Rosaiah is the current Governor of Tamil Nadu and a former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. He was previously an MLC, MLA & MP of the Indian National Congress numerous times and has handled many ministerial posts over his long political career spanning over half a century...
, Karanataka Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa, Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker R. Avudaiappan, and the Madras High Court Chief Justice H. L. Gokhalae among other dignitaries attended the ceremony.
The building is being constructed at a cost of more than INR 6,000 million. The dome is being const