Namakkal Kavignar Maligai
General information
TypeGovernment offices
LocationFort St. George, Chennai, India
AddressFort St. George, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600 009, India
Inaugurated1975[1]
OwnerGovernment of Tamil Nadu
Technical details
Floor count11

Namakkal Kavignar Maligai is an 11-storied building at the Fort St. George campus in Chennai, India, serving as the power centre of state secretariat of Tamil Nadu.[2] It is the only skyscraper built within the Fort campus. As of 2014, there were about 6,000 staff at the secretariat.[3]

History

The fort was built by the British rulers in 1640. After Independence, the entire complex was taken over by the Department of Defense. The state secretariat started functioning in the fort complex. The fort building is a three-storied one housing the offices of the chief minister and other ministers, the chief secretary, home ministry, treasury, etc. To accommodate the remaining offices, the then ruling DMK government planned to build a 10-storied building adjacent to the fort building. The building was built in 1975 and was named Namakkal Kavignar Maligai in the memory of Venkatarama Ramalingam Pillai, popularly known as 'Namakkal Kavignar'. This building accommodates more than 30 departments and conference halls.[1]

Renovations

In 2011, it was decided to renovate the building by augmenting the built-up area in the front and the rear.[1] Renovation of the multi-storied building began on 3 March 2012 with the then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa laying the foundation stone for the work. The renovation work cost ₹ 280 million.[4] The renovation features have been designed by CNR Architects, after getting the approval of Archeological Department and the Heritage Committee of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority for the renovation works.[5]

Renovation of the external facade of the building comprised traditional and modern architectural features. Main features of the renovation include power-saving lighting arrangements within the building, centralised air conditioning, measures to ensure dust-free environment, installation of glass panels to prevent penetration of heat for up to 3,540 sq.ft. a lawn measuring 1,700 sq.ft. in front of the building,[4] and a fountain.[3]

While the renovation of the facade cost ₹ 145 million, the electrical infrastructure, including revamped centralised air-conditioning system, was completed at ₹ 135 million.[3]

A modern gym with about 29 equipments, built at a cost of ₹ 5 million, was also part of the renovation.[2]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "புதுப்பிக்கப்பட்ட நாமக்கல் கவிஞர் மாளிகை: ஜெயலலிதா நாளை திறந்து வைக்கிறார்". Malai Malar (in Tamil). Chennai. 9 July 2014. Archived from the original on 7 February 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  2. 1 2 Mariappan, Julie (10 July 2014). "Jayalalithaa opens renovated exterior of Namakkal Kavignar Maligai". The Times of India. Chennai: The Times Group. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 "CM opens renovated building at Secretariat". The Hindu. Chennai. 11 July 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Foundation stone laid for renovation of 'Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai'". The Hindu. Chennai. 4 March 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  5. ↑ "Facelift for Kavignar Maaligai". The New Indian Express. Chennai: Express Publications. 4 March 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2015.

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