The Hindu 10.04.2013
Decks cleared for acquisition of land for Adambakkam station
But stumbling blocks for Velachery-Mount MRTS line remain.
All 24 property owners of land acquired for Adambakam
MRTS (Mass Rapid Transit System) station will receive compensation
shortly.
The revenue department conducted an award
enquiry into land acquisition for Adambakkam railway station in December
2012. The release of the money is expected to complete the acquisition
of private lands measuring 3,038 sq. m. near Adambakkam station.
At
a meeting on Tuesday, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority
(CMDA) directed the special tahsildar for land acquisition to release
money and take possession of the land required for Adambakkam MRTS
station.
However, some legal wrangles continue to
obstruct the development of the MRTS link between Velachery and St.
Thomas Mount. Land acquisition for a standalone alignment of 500 metres
and for Puzhuthivakkam station is yet to be completed.
The
process was expected to be completed by February but legal proceedings
delayed the acquisition and alienation of over 23,466 sq. m. of land
needed for the Velachery-St. Thomas Mount line.
A
writ petition pertaining to the project by residents had already delayed
the project by 18 months. The CMDA is trying to convince the court that
the project is crucial to the development of the metropolitan area. “We
have filed our counter,” said a CMDA official. Work on improving the
Adambakkam station may be taken up after the land acquisition process is
completed. But work on the other incomplete portions of the 5-km
stretch will be delayed further.
Private land
measuring 6,550 sq. m. along the standalone rail alignment and 8,462 sq.
m. near Puzhuthivakkam station were identified, but the acquisition is
likely to be delayed because of opposition by 27 land owners affected by
the standalone alignment and seven affected by work on Puzhuthivakkam
railway station.
The land acquisition process resumed
last year after a Court stay was vacated. Residents began protesting
after the original alignment was changed a few years ago.