Legal battle of 45 years denies road for residents of Thangam Colony

According to the documents, the Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) acquired 7.81 acres of land for the formation of the road in 1960s. After the residents gave a petition to the government seeking to exclude their land in 1972, the government ordered that except the 90 cents of land that is needed for the formation of the road, other plots (6.91 acres) will be excluded, provided the residents pay development charges. They were also provided alternate plots in the vicinity the same year. Even after that, they didn’t vacate and encroached upon the public space and TNHB authorities failed to take any action at that time. This led to a legal battle that has been continuing for nearly 45 years now.

“If the TNHB had evicted them immediately after providing them the plots, there would have been no problem,” said S Deenadayalan, a resident who fought legally to bring the road.

When the encroachments were removed in August, based on a Supreme Court order, the residents of Thangam Colony were hopeful that they would get the road soon. The Corporation took over the land from the TNHB and began road laying works. However, one of the early settlers filed a writ petition again. Now, the road works have been stopped just before laying tar and the half-laid 350-metre stretch is filled with gravel, giving rise to dust. “The entire road is covered in dust. Every time a vehicle passes through, the dust raises. It is difficult for me to stay in the shop for a long time due to this,” said a shopkeeper near the stretch.

“There was a bumpy, mud road earlier. We are happy that the authorities have initiated the process to lay the road. They should finish the work soon so that we can use the road,” said an auto-rickshaw driver.

“What can we do if the residents refuse to vacate even after getting the alternate plots? It happened many years ago. Except for the one building for which the owner has filed the writ petition, we have demolished the remaining structures and handed it over to the Corporation,” said A Boopathy, Executive Engineer of Anna Nagar, Tamil Nadu Housing Board.

“The tender process for work is underway. As we are laying the road for the first time, the process is getting delayed. It will begin by the end of this month and will be completed soon, except for the land for which the case is pending,” said a Corporation official.