Sudden crack in floor tiles causes panic among Tamil Nadu govt staff; building stable, says Minister

'There’s no threat to the Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai building. It is stable,' Tamil Nadu Public Works, Highways, and Minor Ports Minister E V Velu said after inspecting the structure raised in 1974 in the historic Fort St George precincts where also various government offices including the state secretariat are accommodated.

Chennai: A sudden crack that developed in the tiles of the first floor of the multi-storied state government building here on Thursday triggered panic among the staff and they rushed out of the complex apprehending that the structure may crumble.

However, Tamil Nadu Public Works, Highways, and Minor Ports Minister E V Velu, who immediately rushed to the Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai, housing offices of various state government departments, assured that the building was stable.

“There’s no threat to the Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai building. It is stable,” the Minister said after inspecting the structure raised in 1974 in the historic Fort St George precincts where also various government offices including the state secretariat are accommodated.

The Minister, accompanied by government engineers, said the “air crack” in the first floor tiles of the agriculture department caused apprehension among the staff that the something may happen to the building.

“The tiles were laid about 14 years ago. They developed air crack due to the passage of time in the building established in 1974. The PWD chief engineer, and executive engineer, and other officials inspected and said that the building was stable,” Velu later told reporters.

The repair will be rectified by today or tomorrow. So, there's no need to panic, the Minister said and added that the staff returned to the building for work.