Several decades on, Tambaram’s Eastern Bypass awaits land for construction

Chennai residents in 188 houses on government lands must be relocated for completion of Eastern bypass project.

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 first Master plan in 1979. The State government sanctioned ₹1 crore as a token amount for land acquisition in 2004.

The residents, in 70 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 official.

“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.

Official 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 four-lane wide road, an 850-metre-long stretch is the portion that is affected by the encroachments. Another stretch of 650 m of land, belonging to the Forest Department, has to be taken over near Perungalathur. “That is under process. Alternative land of 8.92 hectares of revenue land has been identified. We will be using 4.46 hectares of forest land at Perungalathur,” said an official.