30 years on, Kannappar Thidal families get a home to call their own

CHENNAI: It was an emotional day for more than 114 families in Kannappar Thidal, located barely a kilometre from the Ripon Building. The 29-year-old struggle for a decent stay is now a reality for the residents with Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin handing over allotment letters to the beneficiaries.

From the existing dilapidated and leaky shelters, residents of the ‘Home for Homeless’ will now be able to move just 2 km away, though the actual date of moving has not been confirmed yet.

The biggest grievance of residents who have been relocated is that their relocation is usually around 15 km away. “It was a dream-come-true to stay in Moolakothalam after living at the dingy structure in Thidal. When the State government relocated us to this place, it was an empty site, and we set up houses on our own. For more than two decades, we’ve struggled with leaky roofs and no basic amenities. The situation for women, children and senior citizens in the shelter is worse,” stated N Yesu, a resident at the shelter.

During the monsoon, there would be knee-deep rainwater that would stagnate for days. Residents have sighted snakes near their sleeping quarters. They use a public toilet on the road and in the evening, women cannot use it due to safety concerns.

“During Cyclone Michaung last year, nobody visited the shelter even though the whole shelter was under knee-deep water for days. Later, we were shifted to a community centre in the locality. There was no food and electricity. We’ve struggled a lot especially during the rainy seasons. We felt it was better to stay in the shelter, where we can at least afford food,” lamented S Ilavathi.

Though a few residents have already relocated to rental houses in the city, most of them stayed back as they cannot afford a rental space. “Over the years, many ministers and government authorities have visited the shelter for inspection, but no action was taken to reconstruct the shelter or relocate us,” fumed another resident.

Last month, residents took to the road in protest and demanded housing facilities, which led to a discussion for relocating them nearby.

Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin recalled that Minister Sekarbabu had spoken about the plight of residents to the Chief Minister during the floods in 2023. “At the time, the CM had assured them that they would be provided with houses before the northeast monsoon this year. Today, 114 families in the shelter have been given allotments before the monsoon begins,” he added, after handing over the house allotment to the residents. “Earlier, lack of a residence had made it difficult for residents to obtain government documents. But now, they can easily access all necessary documents, including ration cards, Aadhaar, and residence certificates.”

In 1995, due to the construction of Nehru stadium, those who lived on the roadside at Sydenhams Road were relocated to Kannappar Thidal. In July 2023, a meeting was held between the local body and residents regarding the relocation under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Housing for All (PMAY-HFA) scheme, where residents were advised to take a loan to pay the beneficiary share amount of Rs 4.27 lakh per house.

Since it was unaffordable, the Greater Chennai Corporation decided to contribute two-thirds of the amount, and also arranged long-term loans through a nationalised bank with a manageable EMI amount.

“A lot of hardship and coordination has gone into the project as the proposal was lying idle for more than 20 years. Residents at the Thidal had said that they would allow political campaigning in their area only if alternate housing was provided. Politicians were usually asked to stay away from the area fearing protest and clashes but now because of the efforts of the GCC and Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board, the issue has been resolved amicably,” stated Egmore MLA I Paranthamen.

CPM welcomes allotment, claims credit

The CPM has taken credit for supporting the residents of Kannappar Thidal in their “battle against the highhandedness of the GCC” and ensuring they received housing allotments. A post on the party’s social media handle highlighted the struggles of the 114 families who were relocated from the streets for the purpose of constructing the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

“They (residents) were promised houses within 3 months. But, they had been suffering for the past 22 years without proper homes. One day, the Greater Chennai Corporation demanded they pay Rs 4.5 lakh per house and suggested they take loans for the same. The CPI(M) Central Chennai District committee and the Tamil Nadu state leadership waged continuous struggles against the highhandedness of the GCC and insisted they allocate houses free of cost. The party was successful. All 114 families have been provided houses in a nearby apartment free of cost. Comrade G Selva, the secretary of central Chennai district committee, was present along with the beneficiaries when the allotment orders were handed over by the government,” read the post.