COIMBATORE: Tension prevailed in Senthil Nagar at Udayampalayam a section of residents engaged in a heated exchange with few individuals who allgedly encroached a public road in the locality. Senthil Nagar comes under ward 50 of Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) east zone.
On Friday, social activists and members of the Senthil Nagar Residents Association took to the streets after a few individuals allegedly started to fence the road from Senthil Nagar to Mayflower road which connects to Sowripalayam.
The residents said they complained to CCMC officials but they allegedly did not respond. The residents then informed MP PR Natarajan and he arrived at the spot. Learning of this, CCMC’s officials rushed to the spot and held inquiries.
Activists said the civic body has been lethargic and negligent in retrieving reserved sites and public lands across the city. “We have been complaining about this matter to the CCMC for the past 6 months, but officials did not take action,” said Thiagarajan, a social activist, adding that as per the revenue record, the 40 feet wide road is in the name of the CCMC Commissioner.
“The issue has been going on for the past six months. Numerous petitions have been submitted to the district collector as well as the civic body. But no one paid heed. The encroachers are threatening the residents and installed board claiming the road to be a their property. The road must be immediately retrieved from the encroachers,” he added.
A CCMC official told TNIE, “Officials from the East Zone inspected the land, and the road and held talks with both sides. As of now, the fencing is yet to be removed. The surveyor will measure the land. We will take action if the land in question is found to be our property.”