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.

The Hindu                    09.04.2013

Corporation begins preparation of development plan

It aims at improvement in urban area management.

The Erode Corporation on Monday has set in motion the preparation of a city development plan (CDP) to identify its infrastructure requirements and assess its financial resources to fund the development projects.

The objective and the need for the preparation of the CDP was explained to the stakeholders at a consultative meeting held on the Corporation premises here. Representatives from the consultancy firm appointed by the State Government for this purpose, officials from various departments of the civic body, traders, representatives of industry and community welfare organisations attended the meeting, which was chaired by Mayor Mallika Paramasivam.

The objective of the CDP was to ensure overall improvement in the urban area management and infrastructure development. The plan would also focus on environmental improvement and effective urban governance, officials said.

The civic body and the representatives from the consultancy firm also called upon various government departments and stakeholder agencies to identify their requirements and submit proposals, which could be incorporated in the plan.

Government departments and organisations such as State Highways, Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board, Public Works Department and State Transport Corporation could prepare proposals that were related to the development of the town, Corporation Commissioner M. Vijayalakshmi said.

“We also prepared a long wish-list and identified the priority areas. The government will consider providing funds to the projects in these priority areas under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission,” she added.

The civic body identified water supply, solid waste management and sanitation as some of the priority areas. Strengthening of the existing water supply provisions, creating new water supply infrastructure, enhancing the sewage system, effective transport systems and better road infrastructure could be suggested for inclusion in the plan, officials here said.

Representatives from the trade and industry associations wanted the civic body to address the growing water requirements and prepare proposals for reducing the traffic congestion.

The need for bus stands on the Perundurai Road and Chithode Road, an improved wholesale market for textile goods and cold storage facilities farmers was also discussed.