Tamil NaduSunday, 27 September 2026·Hindu Tamil Thisai
TN Secretariat project at Pattinapakkam faces NGT challenge over CRZ and coastal ecology
A proposed ₹1,200-crore, 20-lakh-sq-ft Secretariat project in Chennai’s Pattinapakkam has been challenged before the National Green Tribunal.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In September 2026, a petition was filed before the National Green Tribunal’s southern bench against Tamil Nadu’s proposed new Secretariat project at Pattinapakkam in Chennai, which was announced in the Assembly under Rule 110 at an estimated cost of ₹1,200 crore.
Key specifics
- The project area is stated as 20 lakh square feet in Pattinapakkam, Chennai.
- The petition says the site is near the Adyar estuary and falls under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ).
- The area was inundated in the 2004 tsunami, according to the petition.
- The land is described as a turtle-breeding zone with fishermen’s settlements.
- The plea seeks an independent study by coastal and environmental authorities before any work begins.
Exam lens
TN governance and environment question type, Pattinapakkam, ₹1,200 crore, 20 lakh sq ft, CRZ, 2004 tsunami; TNPSC may ask why the project is being challenged and which tribunal will hear it.