CHENNAI: The revised proposal to build a bus terminus on a 14-acre expanse in Chengalpattu has again hit a legal roadblock with a contempt petition being moved against the state government in the Madras High Court. After the housing minister announced in the Assembly in 2022 that a bus terminus would come up in Chengalpattu, a proposal was sent by the CMDA to Chengalpattu district collector for acquiring adequate land.
Initially, the announcement was made for an extent of 15.67 acres, but the initial proposal was later dropped and a revised proposal was sent for acquiring 14 acres of land following a joint survey undertaken by a project management consultant along with CMDA and revenue department officials.
While conducting a feasibility study of the proposed site, it came to light that one of the survey numbers in Venbakkam village was classified as a water body in revenue records. Subsequently, a person moved the High Court last year questioning the proposal to construct a bus terminus on a waterbody, following which the HC ordered that the survey number be classified as ‘kulam’ and that it should be maintained free of encroachment.
After the court ordered that the bus stand should not be constructed on the kulam, a G.O. to this effect was passed by the government. However, the petitioner again challenged the construction of the terminus and filed a contempt petition last month. Official sources in the Chengalpattu collectorate said a status report is being prepared and it will be submitted to the HC soon. “The kulam is not being used for the terminus. There are already two government buildings occupying it,” they added.
The bus terminus was conceived taking into account the proposed expansion of the Chennai Metropolitan Area. “The bus terminus will aid in the development of growth centres such as Chengalpattu, which is a fast-growing town located in the vicinity of Chennai and one of the most important stops for south-bound traffic,” sources said. The site identified for construction lies in a low-lying area and the authorities plan to fill it up with the earth sourced while deepening nearby tanks.