The Tamil Nadu government’s 1,200-crore Secretariat‑cum‑Assembly complex, spanning 26 acres in Pattinapakkam, was green‑lit by Chief Minister Vijay K. S. Prabhakar in 2025, sparking outrage among local fishing communities.
Daisy, a fish hawker on Marina’s Loop Road, echoes the fears of her 10,000‑strong fishing cohort, saying the security perimeter could bar boats and curb sales, jeopardising their daily bread.
Srinivasan, a 40‑year veteran fisherman, warned that the 15‑storey tower could turn the area into a high‑security zone, turning familiar lanes into impassable roads, and erasing a livelihood network that stretches across ten villages.
In response, the fishermen’s association, led by president Bharathi, called for the government order to be rescinded and the land earmarked for housing, citing past expropriation in the 1950s that left them without promised plots.
Environmentalists such as Nityanand Jayaraman have also questioned the project’s proximity to the sea amid rising sea levels, demanding a climate‑sensitive rethink of the site. The TVK spokesperson M. Sathya Kumar said the government would heed concerns, but the political tightrope remains.
The next week, the Assembly will debate the proposed complex, and the government is expected to issue a revised directive addressing the fishermen’s and environmentalists’ objections.