Vijay’s new push: New Secretariat, Olympic hub and motor racing city

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Thursday announced three major projects: a new Legislative Assembly and Secretariat complex, an Olympic City in Chennai and a Motor Sports City in the state. Making the three announcements in the Assembly under Rule 110, Vijay said the new Secretariat complex would cover 20 lakh square feet and cost an estimated Rs 1,200 crore.

It would bring the Assembly and all government departments into one integrated complex, designed to meet Tamil Nadu’s needs for the next 100 years and provide world-class public administration infrastructure. The complex would have fire-safety systems, access for people with disabilities, green-building standards, adequate parking, conference halls, public-service centres and modern facilities for officers.

“It is imperative to establish an integrated new Secretariat complex for Tamil Nadu’s future administrative growth and efficient administration,” he said. Although the Fort complex covers about 107 acres, only roughly four acres used by the Secretariat is controlled by the state.

The remaining land is controlled by the Defence Department and the Archaeological Survey of India, preventing expansion. The 207,000-square-foot main building, originally the Governor’s residence, houses the Assembly, the offices of the Chief Minister, ministers and Chief Secretary, the Finance Department and other major departments.

Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai, built in 1978 with a ground floor and 10 floors, covers 375,000 square feet. Government secretaries, officers and more than 6,000 employees from over 30 departments work in the two buildings. A new Secretariat built at Omandurar Government Estate because of the space shortage was later converted into a multipurpose hospital and medical college.

Staffing and administrative responsibilities have risen substantially over 40 years while the structures have remained largely unchanged, Vijay said. Fort St George’s heritage buildings would be preserved as historical monuments so future generations could understand their value.

The Olympic City, to be established in Chennai by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu, would be an integrated Olympic-standard complex with world-class arenas, advanced equipment, a High Performance Training Centre, sports-science and sports-medicine centres, and accommodation for athletes and coaches.

It would host national and international competitions and train athletes capable of winning Olympic medals. Its purpose, Vijay said, was to help Tamil Nadu athletes “win a greater number of medals at the Olympic Games and other international sporting events.” For the Motor Sports City, Vijay cited Tamil Nadu’s leadership in two- and four-wheeler production and said vehicle manufacturers considered the state their first choice for new factories.

He also described it as a leader in motor-vehicle racing. Motorsports manufacturing units operate in Coimbatore, he said. The Madras International Circuit at Irungattukottai, near Chennai, and KARI Motor Speedway in Coimbatore are key racing facilities and host national F3 and F4 car races.

The proposed city would have an international-standard racetrack, modern infrastructure and training facilities, and the capacity to stage Formula 1, Formula 2, Formula 3 and Formula 4 competitions. It would identify young talent, provide training and competition opportunities, develop national- and international-level athletes and promote sports tourism.

Tamil Nadu’s automobile base could support race-car plants and ancillary factories, Vijay said. World-class racing venues could expand tourism, specialised vehicle manufacturing, employment and the economy while turning Tamil Nadu into “a major centre for motor sports at the international level.” Arun Janardhanan is an experienced and authoritative Tamil Nadu correspondent for The Indian Express.

Based in the state, his reporting combines ground-level access with long-form clarity, offering readers a nuanced understanding of South India’s political, judicial, and cultural life - work that reflects both depth of expertise and sustained authority.

Expertise Geographic Focus: As Tamil Nadu Correspondent focused on politics, crime, faith and disputes, Janardhanan has been also reporting extensively on Sri Lanka, producing a decade-long body of work on its elections, governance, and the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings through detailed stories and interviews.

Key Coverage Areas: State Politics and Governance: Close reporting on the DMK and AIADMK, the emergence of new political actors such as actor Vijay’s TVK, internal party churn, Centre–State tensions, and the role of the Governor.

Legal and Judicial Affairs: Consistent coverage of the Madras High Court, including religion-linked disputes and cases involving state authority and civil liberties. Investigations: Deep-dive series on landmark cases and unresolved questions, including the Tirupati encounter and the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, alongside multiple investigative series from Tamil Nadu.

Culture, Society, and Crisis: Reporting on cultural organisations, language debates, and disaster coverage—from cyclones to prolonged monsoon emergencies—anchored in on-the-ground detail. His reporting has been recognised with the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism.

Beyond journalism, Janardhanan is also a screenwriter; his Malayalam feature film Aarkkariyam was released in 2021. ... Read More