CHENNAI: The Water Resources Department (WRD) has decided to evict at least 400 encroachments both houses and commercial buildings at NSK Nagar in Arumbakkam under Cooum restoration project. The officials stated that they are negotiating with residents to relocate them, and the eviction drive is expected to begin at the earliest.

“The residents and shop owners of the identified illegal buildings are resisting to relocate from near the riverbank. The remuneration is ongoing, and we are negotiating with the people to relocate to another place. Only if they agree, we will carry forward the work along with Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB),” said a senior WRD official.

Recently, the department relocated as many as 69 families from Cooum river under Naduvankarai Bridge at Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar in Arumbakkam. Already over 400 families relocated and resettled from the locality in April 2022.

“Almost 90 per cent of houses cleared at Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar, and a total of 10 locations near the river are held for eviction as cases are pending at the court. And the eviction drive will begin only after the commercial shops are also removed from the locality,” stated the official.

Under the Cooum River restoration project, as many as 14,000 families are identified near the water body. Of which at least 13,000 families have been relocated since 2016.

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