Stalin to inaugurate dedicated public grievances redressal building in Tiruvannamalai

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin is set to inaugurate the permanent building for public grievances meetings and special camps within the Collectorate premises in Tiruvannamalai town in September.

Public Works Department (PWD) officials said that the new facility is a first of its kind, featuring a separate building to address public grievances by officials from various government departments. “The existing grievances redressal meeting hall is cramped, with the public having to wait in standing to air their complaints. Civic amenities like water and washrooms are also inadequate. The new building will end our ordeal,” said K. Ponnusamy, a resident.

Along with R. Rampradeepan, District Revenue Officer (DRO), Collector K. Tharpagaraj inspected the ongoing work in the new building. PWD officials said that final touches are being given before the new facility is handed over to the Revenue Department next week for the formal inauguration.

All electrical fittings are being tested as part of the safety arrangements before the new facility is inaugurated. “This is the first such building that is meant only to address public grievances and conduct special camps like patta name change and other works. Work to construct similar buildings is underway at Tiruvallur, Perambalur and Dharmapuri Collectorates,” S. Mugilan, Assistant Engineer (AE), PWD (Tiruvannamalai), told The Hindu.

Spread over 13,000 sq ft, the building is being built at a cost of ₹12.17 crore under the general funds of the Department of Revenue. The new facility has a spacious auditorium on the ground floor to organise cultural events and awareness programmes on government schemes. The first and second floors have large meeting halls to organise weekly public grievances meetings. Each hall, on an average, has a seating capacity of 700 persons.

Each floor has adequate drinking water facilities, washrooms, lifts for women, children and persons with disabilities. Separate desks for key government departments will be created in the new facility, where petitioners can complain about their grievances. The entire facility, including grievance meeting halls, will come under CCTV surveillance and will be directly monitored by the Collector. A small library on the ground floor with books, mostly Tamil and English, newspapers and magazines will also form a part of the new facility.