The Tamil Nadu government has finalised Foreshore Estate in Chennai as the location for the proposed new Assembly-Secretariat complex, government sources said. The Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) and the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) have granted permission for the proposed complex to be developed on around 25.16 acres of land. The government is expected to issue an in-principle administrative sanction for the project shortly. The proposed main building will be a 15-storey structure with around 20 lakh sq ft of built-up area. The project has been estimated to cost approximately Rs 1,200 crore. The land has access from Santhome Main Road and carries a reported guideline value of around Rs 22,000 per sq ft. Based on this rate, the estimated guideline value of the land is around Rs 2,047 crore. The government had earlier examined three possible locations for the project, including Foreshore Estate, a government research facility area in Guindy and land near the FinTech development zone in Nandambakkam. Foreshore Estate was selected due to the availability of a large contiguous government land parcel. The Housing Board has permitted the public department to use around 21.37 acres of its land. The land was originally acquired for housing projects and was subsequently used for government employees' quarters. Over the years, around 1,380 residential quarters had been constructed on the site. Most of these structures became dilapidated and were subsequently demolished, leaving a substantial portion of the land vacant. Steps are also being taken to remove the remaining old quarters. The Housing Board has requested that the value of its land be assessed and paid in accordance with government rules. It has also suggested that alternative government land could be considered as compensation, subject to availability. Additional parcels belonging to other government departments and the civic body are also being considered for inclusion in the project. The civic body has granted permission for the use of around 0.93 acres of land classified for road-related purposes. With the additional government land included, the overall project site could cover approximately 26.5 acres, according to government sources. The proposed complex is expected to feature modern administrative infrastructure, improved security systems, fire-safety facilities, accessibility provisions and adequate parking arrangements. The project is also likely to increase infrastructure and economic activity in and around Foreshore Estate, Santhome and Mylapore. Real-estate experts may closely monitor the development for its potential impact on property demand, rental activity and commercial growth in the surrounding areas. The project will now move through the necessary administrative, technical, design and tendering procedures before construction begins.