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Assembly secretariat complex in Chennai to remain a hospital: Minister
The minister’s clarification has ended a long running speculation which began after the DMK formed government in 2021 and gained momentum after CM inaugurated a multi speciality hospital in Guindy
The assembly secretariat complex in Chennai, which was converted into a multi-speciality hospital by J Jayalalithaa in 2011, will remain a hospital and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has no plans to transform it again, said health minister M Subramanian on Thursday. The complex was built during the regime of late M Karunanidhi and was inaugurated by former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in 2010.
The minister’s clarification has ended a long running speculation which began after the DMK formed government in 2021 and gained momentum after chief minister M K Stalin inaugurated a ₹250 crore multi speciality hospital in Guindy, just 10 km away from the Omandurar hospital, in July this year.
“The multi-super speciality hospital in Omandurar government estate in Chennai will never become the state secretariat again,” the health minister told reporters in Chennai.
It has a chequered history too recent to be forgotten. In 2008, Karunanidhi laid the foundation stone at the Omandurar estate, for an oval-shaped complex, in the heart of Chennai’s Triplicane, to be the new secretariat complex. The 10-lakh sq feet building was completed in a record two years time. However, after the late Jayalalithaa-led the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) came to power in 2011, she announced the conversion of the newly built complex into a multi-speciality hospital, which was seen as an act of vengeance as she retained Fort St George as the secretariat.
She promised to deliver quality healthcare on par with the AIIMS and the complex was opened to public in 2014. When Stalin took office as chief minister, there was speculation that he may shift to Omandurar. Some even wanted Stalin to end what his father started. Stalin was also cautioned by the AIADMK against doing so. However, the ruling government let the hospital be and silenced the rumours. Omandurar continues to function as a hospital, and during the Covid-19 outbreak, it was marked as an important government treatment and vaccination centre.
