Questions over land allotment in Ponneri

PWD clears road over-bridge over lake

The lake’s capacity will be affected once the road over-bridge comes up.

Ponneri, the sprawling lake that once served as a reliable groundwater recharging source for Kancheepuram town, would soon forego a portion of its area to a road over-bridge project passing through it.

Railway station

A proposal was mooted in the 1990s to relocate the Kancheepuram railway station from near the Vaiyavur road to its current location. Around 20 acres of land within the water body abutting the excess water overflow barrier structure were allocated for constructing the new station.

Once the new facility came up near the water overflow barrier structure, it lost its utility value.

Further, indiscriminate urbanisation activities in the catchment areas and thick vegetation on its bed resulted in the water body losing its sheen, said G.R. Ravi of Thamizh Makkal Panpattu Kazhagam.

While the judiciary and the National Green Tribunal raised concerns over the destruction of water bodies in the name of infrastructure development, the Highways Department and the Southern Railway had obtained clearance for this project from the Public Works Department, he added.

When contacted, the Highways Department sources confirmed that the PWD had given its consent with a rider that a portion of this lake be de-silted in such a manner to compensate the water holding area.