Veda Nilayam, the residence of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in Poes Garden, will be the first property to be acquired by the State under the provisions of the new land acquisition Act, said Chennai Collector A. Shanmuga Sundaram.
Speaking at a public consultation on the acquisition of the property on Wednesday, Mr. Sundaram said the process would be completed in six months.
The notification of social impact assessment is required under Section 4 and Sub Section 1 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, and Rule 6 of T.N. Rules 2017.
He said other properties in the vicinity would not be acquired for the memorial. Residents of Poes Garden, however, have opposed the proposal to convert the residence of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa into a memorial. Representatives from 20 residents’ associations participated, opposing the land acquisition. “The peace and tranquillity of the area will be affected. The government should not disturb us. All the residents in the Poes Garden are against the project. The memorial should not hinder our comfort,” said Rama Chandriamani, a resident.
However, A. Enoch of the Madras School of Social Work — that which has been tasked with conducting a social impact assessment of the area — has said the memorial would not affect the residential area.
Residents have also pointed to inadequate parking space in the area, demanding an alternative space for parking vehicles in the area to prevent traffic congestion. Some residents from other parts of the city participated in the meeting and demanded speedy completion of the process of land acquisition. The project area is located in block number 31 in Mylapore Taluk, covering an extent of 10 grounds and 322 sq.ft.
