PWD to modernise government building projects: Tamil Nadu Minister Aadhav Arjuna in Assembly

Tamil Nadu's Public Works Minister, Aadhav Arjuna, pledged Tuesday (August 18, 2026) to overhaul the functioning of the Public Works Department (PWD) to modernize the construction of government buildings in line with international standards. During a budgetary discussion in the Assembly, Arjuna stated that the department would assess land value and FSI to maximize vertical development, a practice currently uncommon in the region.

The department also intends to create a centralized dashboard to track the condition of government buildings, including schools, hospitals, and revenue divisional offices, over the next six months. This initiative aims to identify buildings requiring renovation and maintain transparency in reporting. Arjuna further announced the establishment of Tamil Nadu Infrastructure and Construction Corporation, a corporation with a ₹1 crore fund to undertake large-scale building projects worth over ₹200 crore in the state, akin to private buildings, and to construct buildings on unused government lands for revenue generation.

The corporation would provide architectural plans, project management, and quality control services for large projects, as well as develop townships, tech parks, and business parks. Additionally, Arjuna mentioned talks with the Industries Department about participating in tenders and contracts for private companies' construction needs, simplifying the registration process for contractors to ensure competitive rates while maintaining quality.

A mobile application 'TN.PWD' would be launched to monitor project statuses and quality measures, and a Building Management System powered by AI would be introduced at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, with the potential for expansion.