CHENNAI: The canal that connects Chinna Mathur lake and Kosasthalaiyar river will soon double up as a pathway to a nearby burial ground in Manali. Concrete slabs are being placed over the canal as the land for the approach road leading to the ground has been encroached, and the corporation opting for this approach rather than reclaiming the land.
“Chennai corporation is doing this to protect the encroachments which is a major obstacle for constructing the approach road to the burial ground, as the land was officially allotted by Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited way back in 2009,” said RS Babu, secretary of Mathur MMDA people’s welfare association.
According to the records available with Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL), 1.74 acres of land in Manali village was handed over to the Manali municipal corporation for constructing a burial ground and pathway. The 0.24 acres meant for the road is now encroached.
“They are doing this even without de-silting the canal. This will only cause flooding during the monsoon as the canal drains surplus water from Chinna Mathur lake to Kosasthalaiyar river,” Babu added.
Local residents said that when they brought up the issue of encroachments, corporation officials proposed the alternative approach. “We have complained many times to the zonal office, but there is no response.
Two years back, officials came to measure and discuss the survey numbers of the road. They even offered a temporary solution of covering an adjacent canal with concrete slabs and to use that as a road. We rejected it,” said Rajarajan, head of TNHB Colony Resident and Consumer Protection and Awareness Association. When contacted, the zonal corporation officials confirmed about placing slabs over the canal and said that they will look into the issue.