Encroachments, mostly asbestos-roofed houses, were demolished in Arcot town, near Ranipet, along the Palar on Monday as part of efforts by the district administration to restore the original width of the river ahead of the monsoon.
Officials said the district administration, the Public Works Department (PWD), the State Highways Department and the police oversaw the demolition drive that led to the removal of 319 houses along the river. These houses were built more than two decades ago, forming neighbourhoods like Sadik Basha Nagar and M.G.R. Nagar, which come under Melvisharam Municipality near Arcot town. The demolition exercise was completed on Monday.
“The demolition drive was based on a Madras High Court order to remove encroachments along waterbodies. An alternative housing site for the affected families has been identified,” A. Anandan, tahsildar (Walajah taluk), told The Hindu.
With a large contingent of district police, officials led the demolition drive. Residents, including senior citizens and women, argued with the officials to stop the drive, refusing to vacate their houses.
A large number of residents, mainly women, also blocked the Chennai-Bangalore Highway (NH48), affecting traffic on the route for more than an hour on Sunday. The police and revenue officials tried pacifying the agitators. However, as residents continued blocking the road, four persons were arrested by the Arcot town police.
Despite the residents’ protests, the demolition drive went on uninterrupted. Officials said a total of 353 houses, mostly asbestos-roofed ones, in these two neighbourhoods along the river were identified by revenue officials earlier this year.
Subsequently, the court directed the district administration to demolish these houses by March 31. However, officials were able to demolish only 34 houses due to residents objecting and the difficulty in finding alternative housing. As a result, the court extended the deadline to June 28 and directed the district administration to submit a report on the issue.
As a result, the remaining 319 houses were demolished now. Officials said an alternative site in Koorambadi village, near Veppoor, in Arcot had been identified for the displaced families on compassionate grounds.
As per norms, each affected family would eligible for at least three cents of land as compensation. However, residents said they had been living in the existing houses for many years and demanded the district administration to relocate them somewhere closer to the demolition site.
