222-acre residential hub to rise in Maraimalai Nagar

A new township is set to be developed at a 222-acre site in Kadambur village of Maraimalai Nagar Municipality. Residential development for higher, middle and lower income group people will receive priority in the scheme. The 58-acre ‘Kadambur Periya Eri’ will also be restored with facilities for recreation.

Nearly four decades ago, the government acquired 1,914 acres of land for the development of the industrial suburb of Maraimalai Nagar to prevent migration to the city. Today, several global car manufacturers as well as offices of software giants are located in the area.

According to sources in the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, the “integrated, self-contained residential development” will include schools, hospitals, parks, playgrounds and a fire station. “The scheme will promote planned urban development. People will get all the services. The focus will be on residential development with all the requisite ancillary services. Water supply, a sewer network and a solid waste management system will be developed with public purpose plots,” said an official.

According to revenue department sources, private land acquisition is not required for the project. The revenue department will initiate measures to prevent encroachments in the parcel of land identified for the purpose. A number of encroachments have already been cleared.

More than 50 families are to be displaced from the ‘site’ allocated for township, which is being referred to as ‘Kadu Poromboke’.

Kanthan, one of the residents in the area, said that those living on the land depended on agriculture.

“If the government moves us, we may not be able to find jobs elsewhere,” he said.  The village, spread across 3.6. sq km, has a population of 1500, according to the 2011 census. A portion of over 370 acres of undeveloped land has been encroached upon and revenue officials have already removed some of the encroachers from the site.

Welcoming the move to develop the lake into a tourist spot, the M.M. Nagar Municipal ward councillor, A. Karunakaran said that satisfactory alternative arrangements must be made for those who are to be displaced.