600 families evicted from Adyar banks

The water resources department (WRD) is set to begin

evicting more than 600 families living along the Adyar

riverbank in  Anakaputhur next week, nearly a year after

notices were first issued

Despite constructing permanent structures illegally on

the river's edge, the squatters had resisted eviction for

months. The delay was further prolonged by legal

challenges in the Madras high court, which have now

been resolved

A senior WRD engineer confirmed that after prolonged

negotiations, the department is ready to proceed. The

families will be resettled in tenements built by the Tamil

Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board(TNUHDB)

across three locations—Perumbakkam, Thailavaram near

Perungalathur, and Keerappakkam—with 200 housing

units in each

The encroachments in Anakaputhur include settlements

in Thai Moogambigai Nagar, Quaid-e-Millath Nagar,

Shanthi Colony, and MGR Nagar. With this round of

evictions, WRD officials claim that nearly 75% of

encroachments along the Adyar river have now been

cleared.

Four more major settlements remain—Mallippoo Nagar

in Adyar, Annai Sathya Nagar on Greenways Road,

Saidapet, and the remainder of Anakaputhur. Mallippoo

Nagar is the largest, with more than 1,200 families,

followed by Saidapet with more than 500. The other two

areas have a few hundred residents each.

While the Adyar river restoration project was launched,

WRD had identified 9,539 families for resettlement.

Officials said the availability of new tenements and

recent consent from residents has paved the way for

smoother rehabilitation this time.

"The rehabilitation drive is essential to prevent

environmental degradation and protect lives," the senior

engineer said.

Additionally, as part of the project, desilting along 18 km

and fencing across key stretches in Chennai,

Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu has been completed.

Parks, plantations, bridge beautification, and modular

STPs are in place, with more than 8,797 tons of solid

waste cleared, according to data submitted before the

National Green Tribunal.