Temple encroaches upon street, GCC officials turn blind eye

CHENNAI: At a time when the courts are coming down on the Greater Chennai Corporation against encroachments on roads and public places heavily, civic officials in Madipakkam are stubborn to remove under construction compound wall of a temple that encroaches a street.

GM Shankar, an activist in Madipakkam, said that the locals are maintaining the Kunnalamman Temple in Kunnalamman Koil Street. "Recently, they commenced constructing a compound wall. Pillars for the wall are being constructed on the road," he added.

Shankar alleged that the local engineers are refusing to take action to remove and stop construction despite raising a complaint with the Chennai Corporation through Namma Chennai App almost a month ago. "The street is in ward 188. But, the officials from ward 174 responded to the complaint. Furthermore, no steps have been taken to stop the construction work. Even while the complaint was pending, the work was underway," he said.

When DT Next contacted an engineer and raised the issue, the engineer promised to take action and stop the construction. Later the official called back and said that the work has been stopped. However, the civic body is yet to remove the under-construction pillar.

"Apart from removing the pillar, the civic body should also take action against the persons, who tried to encroach on the street. Now, due to the construction, the street is in a damaged condition. In the name of repairing the street, the Corporation will spend money, " he fumed.

Shankar opined that the remaining unresponsive against such temple encroachments would create issues in the future.

"Once the temples are allowed to encroach on public places, it would become difficult to remove them as issues will arise from devotees, " he warned.

Meanwhile, Arappor Iyakkam, an anti-graft organisation, has been voicing against a similar encroachment on a poramboke land around a temple in Ramapuram.