TIRUVANNAMALAI: The movement against eight-lane expressway is set to intensify its opposition and protests in all the five northern districts by coordinating with political parties, trade unions and farmers' associations to stall any move to revive the Rs 10,000 crore project.
A meeting of representatives of the organisations, held in Tiruvannamalai on Tuesday, resolved to take forward the protests in an intensified manner.
"We have decided to bring in more coordination among the political parties that support our cause, and the trade unions and farmers' associations will step up the protests against the Chennai-Salem eight-lane expressway project," said S Abiraman, convener of Movement Against Eight-Lane Expressway.
He added, representatives of the movement will reach out to the opposition parties. Senior leaders including K Pitchandi, MLA (DMK), Pasarai Babu (MDMK) and retired DRO Ilangovan (VCK) participated at the consultation meeting.
The 277-km long Greenfield project has been facing still resistance right from the day it was announced in 2018. The farmers in five districts including Tiruvannamalai and Salem districts have been up in arms against the project.
The Madras High Court quashed the notification for land acquisition in 2019 giving a huge relief to the farmers who are fighting to protect their livelihood. The case is now pending before the Supreme Court.
However, the Centre and the State governments have been stating that the project would be carried out. Abiraman informed that similar consultation meets would be held in the other four districts to consolidate the support from parties and organisations to fight the project.