Chennai, 7 Oct 2025

The Centenary Auditorium of the University of Madras will reopen in a few months after being closed for years. The Public Works Department is working on a big repair project that will be done by early next year.

Old Building Gets New Life

The auditorium is in the University's Chepauk campus. It is very important and has been used for many big events. The Building Centre and Conservation Division of PWD is fixing it. They are spending 26.33 crore rupees on the work. The auditorium is very big, covering 64,157 square feet. It was first opened in October 1965 by Sir Jaya Chamaraja Udaiyar Bahadur, who was the Governor of Madras then.

Fixing the Damage

The building is 17.50 meters tall and looks nice with white stones on the outside. But it got old and parts of it broke. The roof, stage floor, and walls were damaged. It was not safe to use for the last few years. Now, workers are fixing the leaky roof and walls. They are also putting in new tiles and repairing the teak windows and doors. They will make space for 2,400 people to sit. The stage will also get better equipment.

We aim to complete the renovation project by January next year, ahead of the deadline. The work will help restore the structure to its original grandeur while equipping it with modern facilities.

The PWD hopes to finish the work by January 2026, making the auditorium look grand and new again. Follow The Rising News for more verified updates.

Updated 8 Oct 2025, 14:40 IST; source: link