CHENNAI: Built to promote inclusive urban living, the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) building in Saidapet is now facing allegations of caste-based allotment.
Residents of the TNUHDB tenements at Subbu Pillai Thottam alleged that a separate lottery was conducted to allot houses to members of a particular community who objected to living alongside Scheduled Caste residents in the newly redeveloped housing complex.
The project, comprising five blocks with around 450 housing units, was taken up after an enumeration process in 2021 and demolition of old structures in 2022. The new tenements were inaugurated in March, and allotments were initially made through a common lottery system in mid-May.
However, residents alleged that a second, unofficial allotment exercise was later held at the TNUHDB Division 7 office to earmark 36 houses in 'A' Block for a specific caste group.
C Vignesh, a resident, alleged that demands for separate allotments based on caste had earlier been rejected by the previous DMK regime. “When the official lottery was held on May 15, only a few members from that community participated. Later, we learnt that a separate arrangement was allegedly being made for them," he said.
Another resident, E Aadhvan, alleged that political intervention by the newly elected MLA led to the segregation of houses and claimed that pressure was exerted to reserve an entire block for supporters belonging to a specific community.
Vignesh further alleged that after raising the issue publicly, he faced online abuse and was physically attacked by a TVK functionary, following which he filed a police complaint.
Rejecting the allegations, Saidapet MLA M Arul Prakasam said no favouritism had taken place and accused the complainants of politicising the issue. Senior TNUHDB officials also denied conducting any caste-based allotment exercise.
Managing Director Shreya P Singh told DT Next that officials had been clearly instructed not to permit segregation of residents on caste lines.
"The board stands for mixed community living and never permits caste-wise allotment," she said, adding that requests seeking separate blocks for a particular community had been rejected twice.