CHENNAI: The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) is once again in murky waters as the planning authority, which has overspent its resources on poorly conceived projects, had to halt the Putheri lake restoration project in Tambaram. When it started the work, CMDA was allegedly unaware about the ongoing case in the southern bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) regarding removal of encroachments on the lake.
In a letter to Tambaram corporation (dated July 2, 2026), accessed by TNIE, the planning authority informed the civic body that the work has been stopped and sought clarification whether any case is pending with the NGT. The letter also directed the civic body to send details pertaining to encroachments on the lake.
The NGT passed an order in July 2022 directing the Water Resources Department and Tambaram corporation to remove encroachments on the lake among other directions, while disposing of a suo motu case. Alleging that directives of the NGT were not implemented, a resident filed a miscellaneous application with the tribunal to seek further directions in 2024 and the case is still pending.
S David Manohar, who sent a petition against the project to CM Cell, alleged the planning authority commenced the works in September 2025 without removing the encroachments. “Restoring the lake without evicting the encroachers will result in continuation of encroachments. The government should evict them before resuming the work. Above all, Tambaram corporation has constructed a sewage pumping station by encroaching the lake,” he said.
Apart from the sewage pumping station, as many as 24 structures including concrete houses, car sheds, compound walls, are encroaching upon the lake area, as per revenue department records. Of the total, 4.23 hectares of the lake, more than 0.57 acres are under encroachment.
The residents fear creating or strengthening bunds without removing the encroachers will shrink the lake permanently and make the encroachments legitimate.
In 2024, CMDA requested the Tambaram corporation to allow the restoration of the lake at a cost of Rs 8.15 crore. The planning authority has proposed to strengthen the bunds, provide footpaths, children’s play area, toilet and other facilities. When the CMDA first proposed the project, the cost was only Rs 3.4 crore but swelled to Rs 8.15 crore before commencing the works.
The CMDA also pointed out Tambaram corporation, while issuing no-objection certificate (NOC) for the project in October 2024, had failed to mention about the pending case.
“Only desilting and bund strengthening have been taken up and no construction has started. The works will commence based on the Tambaram Corporation’s response to the queries,” a CMDA official said.
The issue came up at a time when the CMDA’s several projects under Vada Chennai Valarchi Thittam (VCVT) were stopped due to the lack of funds. As per sources, present liabilities of CMDA have reached Rs 3,500 crore due to its increased spending, by deviating from its primary role of planning the city’s growth, on projects like upgradation of bus depots, lake restorations, libraries and so on, which are responsibilities of other departments. The planning authority has sought more than Rs 200 crore from the government to resume the halted projects.
