Somewhere in Chennai....

Even as the Tamil Nadu government is fighting a legal battle to convert the massive new secretariat complex, built at a cost of Rs.500 crore by the previous DMK regime, into a multispecialty hospital, crores of rupees are being spent to turn the rundown 10-storeyed administrative building at the Fort St George, the current secretariat, into a swanky structure.
The Namakkal Kavingnar Maligai on the fort campus, which houses most of the state government departments, is set for a makeover. In a few months, the building will have a glass frontage, just like plush corporate buildings, centralised airconditioning, swanky interiors and exteriors, access control systems and modern cabinets, all of which would be comparable to a software firm in the city.
The government has added to the makeover blueprint a new car park to accommodate 50 cars of senior officials. Sources in the PWD, which is also in charge of maintenance of the building and its environs, said the old complex was constructed 35 years ago and over a period of time, the building developed cracks and leaks.
Stating that the total estimated cost of renovation will be more than Rs.50 crore, the official said more funds will be allocated depending on the work. According to the plan, each floor will have ten centralized airconditioning units. The old and damaged electrical systems will be replaced and all the power cables would be placed under the ground so that interiors will not have wires running around.
On the frontage facelift, he said there would be a huge glass elevation with the latest exterior paints on a par with the Tidel Park in the city. “Very soon electricity for the building will be generated from a solar power system,” the official said, adding that renovating the building is the most cost-effective way of replacing ageing and inefficient equipment, including upgrading the building to safety standards of other buildings in the city, and preventing future deterioration.
Soon after the AIADMK came to power in May 2011, it decided to abandon the new secretariat complex, a section of which was completed, and continue to function from the old secretariat at the Fort St. George.