Rs 100 crore loot?
Ramapuram: Arappor Iyakkam seeks action over encroachment of revenue land
Arappor Iyakkam demands recovery of 2.6-acre Ramapuram revenue land encroached by temple-linked groups. Will the govt act before it’s too late?
A Chennai-based anti-corruption NGO, Arappor Iyakkam, has raised alarm over the encroachment of 2.6 acres of prime government revenue land in Ramapuram, valued at over ₹100 crore. The NGO has appealed to the chief minister and senior officials to immediately stop ongoing illegal constructions and restore the public land for community use.
Systematic takeover
According to Arappor Iyakkam, the encroached land, identified as government property in both revenue records and Madras High Court orders, has been systematically occupied over the last 12 years. The organisation alleges that the Kalsathamman temple and individuals claiming to represent its committee, including local DMK councillors Selvakumar and Raji, along with PMK’s Kumar, have been involved in expanding the encroachments, reducing an 11-metre-wide public road to just 2.9 metres.
“The narrowed road obstructs access for emergency services such as ambulances and fire safety vehicles,” said Jayaram, convener of Arappor Iyakkam. He added, “Temporary thatched roof structures and iron barricades need to be removed immediately, and the road should be fully restored for public use.”
Legal backing ignored
The NGO highlighted that attempts to legitimise the encroachment have failed in court. “It has been proved all the way till the High Court that it is government land. In spite of this, encroachments continue,” Jayaram pointed out.
Despite a lock-and-seal notice issued by the Chennai Corporation in 2017, new constructions have come up on the land, particularly in front of the temple along Kalasathamman Koil Road. Arappor Iyakkam accuses local officials of turning a blind eye to these illegal activities.
Urgent demands
The NGO has listed clear demands for the authorities: Immediate demolition of new and old encroachments, restoration of the road to its original 11-metre width with proper bitumen surfacing, removal of temple boards falsely claiming ownership, and installation of revenue department signage.
Jayaram said, “We urge the government to promptly reclaim this land. It is in the heart of the city and could be used for housing the poor, public parks, or government offices.”
Arappor Iyakkam also called for strict action against officials who have failed in their duty to prevent this encroachment.
(The content above has been generated using a fine-tuned AI model. To ensure accuracy, quality, and editorial integrity, we employ a Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) process. While AI assists in creating the initial draft, our experienced editorial team carefully reviews, edits, and refines the content before publication. At The Federal, we combine the efficiency of AI with the expertise of human editors to deliver reliable and insightful journalism.)
