CHENNAI: Ripon Building’s annexe to be ready by September

By G Saravanan

Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai, on April 21, 2011:

Source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/ripon-building%E2%80%99s-annexe-to-be-ready-by-september/267361.html

CHENNAI: The construction of the Rs 22-crore annexe for Ripon Building, which would house all the departments of the historic Chennai Corporation on its completion, has been put on top gear and the new jewel in civic body’s crown is expected to be completed by September.

There have been delays in construction in the past due to various reasons, including heavy water logging in the basement, unscheduled holidays by workers, and due to the Assembly election. But it has gained momentum in the recent days and the civic officials said that the project was well on target to be completed before the local body elections. 
Though about 150 workers are now engaged for different works at the site, it would be increased to beyond 200 in the coming days to speed up the construction. 
The building would have a basement floor, a ground floor and five more floors with a total floor area of 12,600 square metres. The basement of the building would be used as a parking place for all vehicles visiting the complex. 
To ease the movement of visitors, the building would be having lift facilities at three vantage locations and also be having staircases in three places, two on the front and one on the rear.

The building will also have a rear entrance from Moore Market site to reduce vehicle pileup, but the main entrance would be from the Ripon Building side only. 
Sources said the new building would also have frontal pillars like the ones in Ripon Building to picture the colonial architecture in contemporary pattern and post-modern style with regional architecture.

Once the new building is completed, all the administrative departments of the civic body, which has had offices in the Ripon Building and now shifted to other buildings, would be moved to the new sprawling campus. 
Ripon Building would be having chamber for Corporation Mayor and Council Hall in second floor, Commissioner’s office in first second floor.  The ground floor of the Ripon Building will be used for organising a permanent exhibition on Chennai’s heritage.