Chennai: Fishermen across Chennai's coastal belt from Ennore to Kovalam are staging a protest here on Tuesday demanding that the state government immediately withdraw its proposal for Rs 1,200-crore Secretariat-Assembly complex at Pattinapakkam in the city.
Citing apprehensions of widespread displacement and threat to their traditional fishing livelihoods, the fishermen say such a massive structure on over 24 acres land will destroy the traditional fishing grounds and public access to the sea.
Hundreds of members from the community including women sat in protest at Srinivasapuram Beach in Pattinapakkam (Foreshore Estate) while another section took out a black flag procession to draw the government's attention to their plight, amidst heightened police presence, barricaded areas and traffic diversions.
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay-led government had announced the plan to shift the power centre from the historic Fort St George to the sea-facing Pattinapakkam area and later issued a government order (GO) on September 8, 2026, granting in-principle approval to initiate the construction process for the new Secretariat-Assembly complex at Foreshore Estate.
As protests from the fishing community and political parties swelled, the government clarified that only the detailed project report (DPR) process is underway, asserting that the process is only in the preliminary stage.
The fishers, however, commenced the protest today demanding the government to formally rescind the GO which posses a threat to their traditional livelihoods and coastal ecology.
The proposed complex is expected to come up on 25.55 acres of land while early design and initial department transfers estimate a plot size of about 25.16 acres. The GO formalised an aggregate of 25.55 acres at Pattinapakkam.
The Public Works Department has been given a three-month deadline to complete and submit the DPR along with cost estimates, as per the GO.
The villagers from Mullikuppam, Mullima Nagar, Mylapore, Srinivasapuram, Nuchikuppam, Ennore and Kovalam and other coastal areas have joined the protest in support of their demands which also include declaring the coastal stretch as a traditional residential area for fishermen, providing the promised housing for community and land titles (pattas).
Over 200 police personnel have been deployed to ensure security in the area.
Today's protest is part of a structured flash protest and token strike with the community leaders warning of launching an indefinite protest and multi-phase agitations if their demands were not met.
The fishermen from across 12 hamlets halted the fishing activities for the day and conducted black flag demonstrations.