The government announced a plan to bring back the British-era town hall in a new avatar.
What’s it about? The DMK government announced a ₹32.62 crore plan under the Singara Chennai 2.0 initiative to rejuvenate Victoria Public Hall with modern facilities and exhibits. The project will be done by architect Abha Narain Lambah who previously worked on the Opera House in Mumbai and the Bikaner House in Delhi.
- The building is in bad shape due to rising water from the ground level, and the floor caved in. The building also has cracks in the arches and masonry walls.
- The hall will have a new information desk, a museum on Chennai’s evolution, a VIP lounge, and a central hall. The ground floor will have allied administrative offices.
Previous attempts: The first attempt at renovation was in 1967. Then it was in 2009 after the Chennai Corporation took over the property. They cleared encroachments and tried to renovate the hall and repair the tiles and door. The next attempt was in 2016, which was scrapped due to metro rail construction.