CHENNAI: The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) is looking at the possibility of acquiring reserve forest land for a link road to connect the proposed mofussil bus terminus on 88.52 acres in Kelambakkam.The proposed bus terminus site abuts the GST Road and to provide better circulation and connectivity, it is proposed to provide a link road from behind the site to the Vandalur-Kelambakkam road.
The sources said the CMDA was working on the exact alignment of the link road besides identifying the area from where the link road is proposed through the reserve forest area.
This comes as the CMDA is also looking at the possibility of providing a link road within the Crescent Engineering College campus.It is also learnt that CMDA is planning to negotiate with private persons for acquiring the land belonging to them as the site spreads over several survey numbers and sub-divisions.
“The freezing of the site boundary for 88.52 acres of the total 121.24 acres of surplus land belonging to the land reforms department needs to be done to finalise the concept plan and detailed project report for the bus terminus,” said the sources.
The sources also said that the CMDA was looking at three options to acquire the land.
These include re-organising or re-aligning the properties; providing alternate lands in lieu of the land owned by private individuals; or do compulsory acquisition of these lands.However the CMDA’s biggest challenge would be to get the approval from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as the site lies within protected and prohibited zone of the ASI as it contains ‘megalithic burial sites’.It is learnt that the consultant has prepared several master plans considering the bus terminus and appropriate revenue model. But a clearer picture will evolve only after getting the clearance from the National Monument Authority.