The Rs 495 crore Phase-II extension of Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) between Velachery and St Thomas Mount has been hit due to legal issues over acquisition of land.
CMDA sources told City Express recently that CMDA is facing hurdles in acquiring less than four acres of land on the five kilometre stretch due to legal wrangles.
This comes in the wake of a meeting held on June 26 to review the process of land acquisition to implement the project. The project has been delayed by nearly two years.
Sources say the project is important as the difference MRTS makes to transport could be felt only if the system is extended at least up to St Thomas Mount to complete a rail loop.
The project envisages development of the elevated MRTS on single pillars along the median of the Inner Ring Road (IRR) from MBI Road to St Thomas Road for a distance of about five kilometre. The State Government is sharing 33 per cent of the cost, while 67 per cent is shared by the Union government. The project envisages construction of two intermediate stations Puzhuthivakkam and Adambakkam.
“We had won the case after a single judge delivered a verdict in our favour. Now the landowners have opposed it and the issue is pending before the court,” says the CMDA official.
CMDA officials add that currently 6,550 square metres of standalone alignment is pending in court.
Besides this 8,400 square metres of land in Puzhuthivakam is pending before the court. CMDA has acquired 3,000 square metres of land for Adambakam railway station and it is being handed over to Metropolitan Transport Project (Railways).
“We have everything in place and once the court issues the order, the land will be acquired,” he says.