Chennai: A wedding hall built at a cost of 11 crore in Avadi has remained locked for more than three years, sparking public anger over govt inaction.
The Amma Marriage Hall, built by Avadi Municipality during the previous AIADMK tenure, was meant to provide an affordable space for events. The three-storey building inside the TNHB complex includes a kitchen, a dining hall for 400 guests, an AC wedding hall with 700 seats, bridal suites, solar panels, CCTV cameras, and parking for 175 vehicles.
The building was completed in 2021. But officials never opened it. “Rent was fixed at 50,000 a day, cheaper than private halls, but the gates stayed shut, allegedly due to political ego and administrative apathy,” said Murali, a social activist.
T Sadagopan, a resident, said, “Public money has been wasted. It is unfair to people who cannot afford private venues.” K Srinivasan, who lives in the housing board colony nearby, said, “We see the hall every day — locked, unused, and collecting dust. Why should politics come in the way of common people’s needs.”
Meanwhile, the unused facility is being used as a parking space for employees of the solid waste management facility.
Residents want the state to open the hall and investigate the delay. Mayor G Udhayakumar said he would look into the matter.