CHENNAI: Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Saturday launched the renovation of ‘Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai’, a 10-storeyed building, housing offices of the Secretaries of most of the departments of the State government at Fort St George, to be undertaken at a cost of Rs 28 crore. “The renovation features have been designed by CNR Architects and approved by the Chief Minister. The architecture is a blend of traditional and modern features. The external facade will be re-done. The renovation works will start on Monday,” official sources said.
The Pubic Works Department has got the approval of Archeological Department and the Heritage Committee of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority for the renovation works, the sources added.
The building will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and amenities.
Centralised air-conditioning with new electrical transformers, painting the outer walls of the building using special technology and improved basic amenities are some of the features to be added during the the renovation work to be undertaken, the sources added.
Jayalalithaa laid the foundation stone for renovation works at the Secretariat in the presence of PWD Minister KV Ramalingam, Chief Secretary Debendranath Sarangi and PWD Secretary M
Saikumar. Meanwhile, the CM presented 34 new vehicles, bought at a cost of Rs 2.29 crore for the Information and Public Relations Department, to the authorities concerned. The CM also inaugurated 126 new houses meant for government employees, built at Thodhunter Nagar in Saidapet through video-conferencing facility. The new houses were built at a cost of Rs 17.59 crore. She also issued employment orders on compassionate grounds to 36 people whose parents died in service.