CHENNAI: The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the state highways department to halt its proposed widening of the road across the ecologically sensitive Odiyur Lagoon.
The tribunal, in its ruling while hearing a petition filed by environmentalists K Saravanan and M Yuvadeeban, said the existing road, constructed in 2014, was built in violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2011. The tribunal, comprising judicial member Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member K Sathyagopal, has now mandated remedial measures to ensure the restoration of tidal exchange and protection of the lagoon’s biodiversity.
The disputed road, which branches off from ECR at Panayur and connects to Cheyyur, runs for nearly 900 metres across the lagoon. Currently, only two small bridges, each spanning 30-40 metres, allow for limited water flow, while the remaining embanked section has obstructed tidal exchange, affecting the lagoon’s ecosystem.
The petitioners argued that the road should have been built on stilts rather than on an embankment, as the lagoon is an important bird habitat and part of a mapped wetland under the National Wetland Inventory Assessment.
The tribunal said the existing road is illegal as it falls within CRZ-I B and CRZ-IV B areas , where construction is restricted. The lagoon supports around 77 species of waterbirds, including threatened migratory species.
The highways department, in its defense, said the project was merely an upgrade of an existing road and not a new construction. The NGT, however, said the road embankment obstructs water movement and could lead to long-term ecological damage. It also criticised the department for failing to obtain clearances from the Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority (TNSCZMA).
In its final order, the tribunal directed the department not to proceed with the widening of the road. Additional vents must be provided in the existing road within six months after obtaining clearance from TNSCZMA and possibility of constructing an elevated bridge must be explored as a long-term solution.
The tribunal has also mandated that the highways department submit a compliance report within three months.