Omjasvin.MD@timesofindia.comThe state’s Secretariat is buckling under mounting footfalls, haphazardly parked vehicles, absence of washrooms and drinking water facilities, besides poor canteens.With scores now coming to greet the new chief minister and ministers, the corridors are packed to the rafters. Officials say the daily footfall at the complex located on the 400-year-old Fort St George campus, has risen from around 7,000 to 9,000.Despite the rush, the Secretariat lacks a public restroom, forcing visitors to use the staff facilities inside Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai.There are five eateries on campus, but all of them resemble cramped messes rather than canteens, with people often queuing beside diners waiting for seats. Parking remains the biggest concern, with two-wheelers spilling onto roads connecting Fort St George and Namakkal Kavignar Maligai and even occupying areas around IAS office blocks. Staff, members of the public and drivers of officials say the complex is long overdue for a complete overhaul.Roads across the Secretariat complex are now encroached by illegally parked bikes, leaving little room even to walk. Tea Board vendors estimate that at least 1,300 people visit their stall daily, and during Assembly sessions, bikes are parked in three layers along a narrow one-lane stretch, leaving no room for pedestrians.The three restaurants on the premises, which together cater to up to 1,500 people daily, are grossly insufficient. One restaurant operates beneath the dilapidated King’s Barracks ASI structure, and tables have been put in the open for people to sit along the road.“These hotels are more like a mess. Tables are not cleaned, drinking water quality is poor, and benches are crammed together. You need to wait at least 30 minutes to get a seat,” said S Sumanth, who came here to submit a petition. With no proper toilets inside the Fort, visitors must walk 150m to Namakkal Kavignar Maligai to access restrooms. A staff member from the deputy speaker’s office said the toilets near the Assembly stink and are not cleaned regularly.Inside the Fort building, which houses offices of the chief minister and ministers, section officers work in cramped booth-like spaces. Conditions are similar at Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai, where section officers sit in small cubicles on wooden stools with only wooden planks serving as tables.Though each floor has a common restroom, staff say it is inadequate for the workforce. IAS officers, however, have separate lounges and restrooms inside their cabins.G Vinodh Kumar, treasurer of the Tamil Nadu Secretariat Vehicle Drivers Association, said red passes are issued for secretaries’ vehicles to park. “But now political party members also park inside. About 400 cars come daily.,” he said, adding that the govt should create a multi-level parking facility in the area outside.“Many staff work in bunker and tunnel-like setups. Construction inside is restricted as this is a defence area,” said G Venkadesan, president of the Tamil Nadu Secretariat Association (TANSA). “We submitted a petition to move the Secretariat even last year,” he added.While public secretary Reeta Harish Thakkar was unavailable for comment, a PWD official said there is currently no plan to shift the Secretariat elsewhere. “The police have been instructed to sort out parking issues as and when they arise,” the official said.
