The Hindu (Tamil Nadu) ·
DMK govt. mooted heritage structure in place of King’s Barracks at Fort St. George
The proposal to build a multi-storeyed structure could not be implemented, as it did not receive the approval of the defence authorities retaining a hold over the building on the verge of collapse
The previous DMK government led by M.K. Stalin, which had toyed with the idea of shifting the Secretariat and the Assembly out of Fort St. George, made an unsuccessful attempt to build a multi-storeyed heritage structure in place of King’s Barracks, located behind the Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai.
Explaining the rationale behind the attempt, a senior official recalls that given the shortage of space in the main block of the fort, and at the 10-storeyed Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai, it was proposed to construct a horizontal building, keeping in mind the heritage character of the premises. But the proposal did not receive the approval of the defence authorities retaining a hold over the building that is on the verge of collapse.
In an article in The Hindu on May 27, 2026, writer V. Sriram attributed the condition of the building to differences between the Army and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). As far as the ASI is concerned, the entire fort premises is under its control, as the fort is a protected monument under the law, and the State government and the Army are only “occupants” of the area. In 2014, the ASI had even announced that it would undertake renovation of the structure, said to be the largest in the country. Nothing much was heard subsequently.
