Decades on, land acquisition yet to be completed for eastern bypass
Of the 9.3-km road, an 850-metre stretch is encroached by residents of 188 houses. About 650 metres of land belonging to the Forest Department needs to be acquired near Perungalathur and the process is under way, says an ocial
Residents, living in a total of 188 houses, encroaching on various government lands in three revenue villages, have to be provided with alternative housing and shifted, if Chennai’s eastern bypass from Perungalathur to Rajakilpakkam is to be completed.
The 9.3-km-long bypass for Tambaram, running from Rajakilpakkam on Tambaram – Velachery Road to Perungalathur on the GST Road, was a project envisaged in the CMDA’s rst Master plan in 1979. The State government sanctioned ₹1 crore as a token amount for land acquisition in 2004.
The residents, in houses, are living on Meikkal poromboke (grazing lands) and graama natham lands in Madambakkam; in Puthur, 50 houses are located on Vaaikkal (canal), graama natham lands and in Rajakilpakkam, the houses are located on eri poromboke (lands surrounding a tank) lands.
Sources in the Highways department said that lands belonging to the Revenue Department and Water Resources Department are in the way of the road.
“The residents, who include Narikuravas, have been staging protests demanding alternative housing. We have submitted proposals to the Chengalpattu district administration, seeking to address their demands,” said an ofcial.
“There is no provision for payment towards rehabilitation in this project. We can only pay for lands that are acquired. These are lands belonging to various government departments and so, can only be alienated,” explained a source.
Ocial sources in the district administration said that they had received the proposals and they would be sent to the State government for its decision.
Of the 9.3-km-long fourlane road, an 850-metre stretch is encroached upon.
Another stretch of 650 metres of land belonging to the Forest Department has to be acquired near Perungalathur.
“That is under process. Alternative land of 8.92 hectares, belonging to the Revenue Department, has been identied. We will be using 4.46 hectares of forest land at Perungalathur,” said an ocial.