Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital
Tamil Nadu Government Multi-Super-Speciality Hospital is a 400-bed government-owned super-speciality hospital in Chennai, India. It is located at the Omandurar Government Estate on Anna Salai and was opened in February 2014. Originally built as Tamil Nadu legislative assembly and secretariat complex in 2010 to house the assembly hall, secretariat and offices of the chief minister and cabinet ministers,[1] the complex was later converted into a super-speciality hospital. It was built in 1.93 million sq ft. at a total cost of ₹ 4,250 million in 2010.[2]
Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital
Public
Full-service medical center, referral, and teaching hospital
400
2008
2010
March 13, 2010 (as legislative assembly building)
February 21, 2014 (as hospital)
₹ 4,250 million in 2010
5
6
1,930,000 sq ft (179,000 m2)
Cost and revisions[edit]
Originally planned for 1.8 million sq ft at a cost of ₹ 2,000 million the building’s dimensions were suddenly increased by an additional 130,000 sq ft and the final estimate was raised to ₹ 4,650 million.[12][13] Increase in prices of inputs, additional works, design change, increase in the basement height of Block A and implementation of stringent fire safety measures and electrical safety standards as well as suggestions made from the angle of police security are cited as reasons for the increase in the project cost.[14]
In January 2014, the government sanctioned an amount of ₹ 269.3 million towards the civil work, ₹ 760.4 million towards buying medical equipment and furniture, ₹ 20 million towards mosquito eradication measures, and ₹ 68.6 million towards completion of the dome, with a provision for natural lighting.[5]
The Design[edit]
The complex is designed by German-based architect company GMP, a united venture of Meinhard von Gerkan and Volkwin Marg based at Berlin. Archivista Engineering Projects Pvt Ltd their Indian Partner carried out Detailed design engineering works. The construction of the new assembly was entrusted to East Coast Constructions and Industries Limited.
With its highly visible dome measuring 30 m tall and 45 m in diameter, the complex has four circular courtyards, and the design echoes the structural features of Dravidian temple complexes in south India. The dome is modelled on the Draupadi Ratha at Mamallapuram and resembles the top of a Tamil temple car. The complex has two blocks — Block A and Block B. The seven-storey Block A houses the hospital. A baffle wall is constructed in three layers and is being erected in a circular structure at a height of 100 ft.
Work on the construction of the seven-storey Block B started in December 2009 at an initial cost estimate of ₹ 2,795.6 million. Initially expected to be completed in 18 months, the construction work is still ongoing, and will house the medical college.
The plinth area of Block A is 930,297 sq. ft. (86,460 sq. m), while that of Block B is 743,900 sq. ft.[3] The dome is cast in stone and closed with glass and will function as the principal iconic element. A park was initially created on the 5th floor of the Secretariat complex where the upper house was to be situated.
Controversy[edit]
The building was constructed very fast in order to facilitate its opening in year 2010 which received criticism from opposition politicians. Two Public Interest Litigations were filed and concerns were raising about the safety of the construction. Both the petitions were dismissed by the court.[17][18]
Trivia[edit]
The main complex has been constructed at the site on the estate where an oil expeller had been kept alongside an old building. The oil expeller was kept there as a symbol of the suffering of people during the freedom struggle. V.O. Chidambaram Pillai (1872–1936), one of the luminaries of the national movement during the pre-Gandhi era, was made to operate it when he was imprisoned at the Coimbatore central jail. Thirty-six years ago, the oil expeller was found buried in Coimbatore and brought to Chennai for display on the estate. In the late 1990s, the oil expeller was removed to the Gandhi Mandapam complex.[1]