Residents oppose ban on building permits near Pallikaranai marsh

Chennai: Residents of Thoraipakkam held a demonstration on Saturday along 200-Feet Road, protesting the CMDA's decision to halt building permits within a 1km radius of the Pallikaranai marshland. The Federation of Thoraipakkam Residents Welfare Associations said the restriction severely affected owners of approved plots and patta lands across several localities along the OMR-IT corridor.More than 200 residents participated in the protest, urging the state govt to review the circular and safeguard the rights of those who purchased approved housing sites. Protesters demanded that authorities remove encroachments within the marshland instead of imposing restrictions on already approved residential areas.
"At least 1 lakh houses have been affected by the circular. Many residents applied for loans that were under process, but are now rejected. In the future, we may not get permission even to reconstruct buildings due to the restriction," said federation president A Francis. Residents said Sholinganallur is a rapidly developing area and such restrictions would affect ongoing and future development projects. They added that the protest aimed to seek clarity, relief measures, and a policy solution for affected property owners."Though the area was merged with Chennai corporation in 2011, basic amenities are still lacking. The restriction on granting approvals for patta lands will further affect development," said S Sudharshan, another Thoraipakkam resident.Sholinganallur MLA S Aravind Ramesh met the residents who took part in the protest and said the issue would be taken up with the govt.