The Madras High Court is scheduled to hear a public interest litigation petition on Monday, October 5, 2026, that seeks a directive for the Tamil Nadu government to abandon its plan to build a new Legislative Assembly‑cum‑Secretariat complex on 25.55 acres at Pattinappakkam, a Foreshore Estate in Chennai.
The petition, filed by Chennai‑based advocate R.S. Tamilvendan, has been listed for admission before the First Division Bench of Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan. It requests the court to halt construction of the proposed complex, arguing that the state has already given in‑principle approval for the project on land that belongs to the Tamil Nadu Housing Board and is earmarked for low‑cost housing.
Tamilvendan points out that the Legislative Assembly and the Secretariat have operated from the Fort St. George premises for decades, a location that is close to key public facilities such as the Puatchi Thalaivar M.G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station, the Madras High Court, and the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. He notes that the DMK government previously built a new complex on Anna Salai between 2006 and 2011, which was later converted into a government hospital by the AIADMK administration.
The petitioner argues that renovating the existing Fort St. George buildings would be far cheaper than the estimated ₹1,200 crore cost of a new complex, especially amid the state’s severe financial crisis. He also raises concerns that the new construction could cause heavy traffic congestion and jeopardise the livelihoods of fishermen who live in and around Pattinappakkam. A representation made to government authorities on September 12, 2026, is cited, and the petitioner urges the court to stay the construction until the PIL is disposed of.
