Tamil Nadu Secretariat Plan: Fishermen, Parties Protest Proposed Pattinapakkam Site

The proposed project, estimated to cost around Rs 1,200 crore, is planned across roughly 25.55 acres near Chief Minister Joseph Vijay’s residence. Fishing communities from 12 hamlets have threatened large-scale protests if the government proceeds with the proposed site.

The proposed location has become a political flashpoint, with several parties calling for the project to be shifted elsewhere. Critics have raised concerns about the impact on fishing livelihoods, traffic congestion, coastal ecology and the lack of adequate consultation with local residents.

Residents of Pattinapakkam and the Marina Loop Road area say the land is closely linked to their livelihoods. More than 1,500 fishing families reportedly use the area for anchoring boats, repairing fishing nets, drying fish and running daily markets.

Members of the fishing community have also claimed ancestral and legal rights over portions of the land. They fear that construction could restrict access to the sea and eventually force fishing families away from the area.

Residents have further raised concerns that the development of a major administrative complex could alter the character of the coastal neighbourhood and put pressure on traditional fishing communities. They have also pointed to earlier commitments concerning land for fishermen relocated in 1958, which they say were never fully implemented.

Local representatives and fishing leaders have criticised what they describe as inadequate attention to their concerns. Community groups and CITU representatives from affected villages have begun discussions on a joint strategy to oppose the proposed site.

CPI(M) state secretary P Shanmugam has also opposed the location and urged the government not to rush the project. He called for an all-party meeting and said a new site should be selected after discussions with all stakeholders.

CPI state secretary M Veerapandian demanded that the proposal be withdrawn, citing environmental concerns. He said the proposed area is a sensitive nesting zone for Olive Ridley turtles and could also be vulnerable to sea surges, cyclones and flooding.

Congress state chief Manickam Tagore supported the need for a new Secretariat but said the proposed site should be carefully assessed to minimise displacement and disruption to local residents.

VCK leader and state Social Justice Minister Vanni Arasu also said the project should proceed only after reaching consensus and addressing the concerns of fishing communities.

PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss raised concerns about traffic congestion around Santhome Road and the Pattinapakkam junction. He argued that the government should consider moving the project outside Chennai.

AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran criticised the government over what he described as a lack of mandatory public consultation. He said the decision had been taken hastily and could affect the area’s coastal heritage.

The DMK, AIADMK and BJP have also questioned the need to spend a large amount on a new complex when the existing Secretariat and Assembly facilities at Fort St George remain available.

BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy criticised the proposed location and said the development could further affect fishing families living between Nochikuppam and Srinivasapuram. He also raised concerns about existing traffic pressure around Santhome High Road, Greenways Road and the Foreshore Estate signal.

Opposition parties and local residents have therefore called for the government to reconsider the site before construction begins. With fishing communities preparing for protests and political opposition growing, the proposed Pattinapakkam location has become the centre of a wider debate over development, coastal livelihoods, environmental protection and Chennai’s future administrative infrastructure.