CHENNAI: Sir Thyagaraya College in Tondiarpet has agreed to part with some land to the Chennai Metro Rail Limited. In return, the college will get a new building.
Last year, the college management and the local residents had protested several times the CMRL’s move to acquire land. They had petitioned the then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and the management had also considered the legal route to protect the college as the company’s requirement meant demolishing an entire building.
The CMRL gave in and realigned the track proposal. Two weeks ago, the college management reached an understanding with the company, said P.R. Venkateswaran, chairman of Sir Thyagaraya Educational Management Committee.
The committee acceded to permanently part with around 28,000 sq.ft of land of the college and another 40,000 sq.ft temporarily.
“Initially they had asked for an acre of land and we could not agree as we have only 4.5 acres and we have to comply with the norms of the University Grants Commission to run the college. We have a social responsibility to the people of Tondiarpet and the Trust has a responsibility to the government and the convenience to the people. It eventually came to about 28,000 sq.ft that we will permanently give to the CMRL,” Mr. Venkateswaran said.
The deal with the CMRL is that the company would build temporary classrooms in place of the commerce block that is to be demolished. The commerce block accommodates around 400 students.
The company has agreed to build temporary classrooms atop the administrative block. It has also agreed to build a new block in another part of the college premises to replace the demolished structure within a year. The Trust would also be contributing to the new building it is planning to have a larger structure.
The new structure would be built even as the work is taken up on the underground railway line. “The college is not going to be affected and it will have all the facilities that students have been given. The ground will be returned to college after the company finishes its work,” Mr. Venkateswaran added.
The college management has, meanwhile, informed the students that the college would be run without interruption. The construction of new class rooms is under way but the building would not be demolished until the new class rooms are ready.
