‘Temple structures will not be affected due to CMRL works’

CHENNAI: The State Government on Monday assured the Madras High Court that the phase –II works of CMRL in corridor four between Lighthouse and Poonamallee will not affect the decades-old temples in the line and the metro rail projects will be carried out properly.

The State Government’s Advocate General R Shunmugasundaram made this submission before the first bench of Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice N Mala.

The bench was hearing a plea filed by G Gouthaman, PR Ramanan, and S Vijay Narayanan seeking directions to restrain CMRL from implementing the works in corridor four of the CMRL phase – II.

The petitioners submitted that the CRML’s Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and Social Impact Assessment (SIA) did not cover several decades-old temples that exist between Light House and Poonamallee.

“Mylai Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple, Vadapalani Sri Murugan Temple, Vadapalani Sri Vengeeswarar Temple, Vadapalani Sri Alagar Perumal Temple, Virugambakkam Sri Sundaravardharaja Perumal Temple, Valasaravakkam Sri Velveeswarar Temple, Poonamallee Sri Thirukachi Nambigal and Sri Varadaraja Perumal Temple, Poonamallee Sri Thirukachi Nambigal and Sri Varadaraja Perumal Temple Tank are 100 years old in the proposed Light House - Poonamallee line of CMRL. Since these temples are 100-year-old, they fall under the Archeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958,” the petitioners submitted.

They further argued that as per the direction of the Madras HC in a suo-motu case and Venice Charter 1964, the 100-year-old sites should be declared as heritage sites, as well as SIA and EIA, should be done for completing the Metro works.

The AG submitted that any structure or the premises of the above-mentioned temples will not be affected due to the Metro rail works. “The works are carried out only in the commercial lands belonging to the temples, ” the AG added.

Recording the assurance of the state government, the bench disposed of the matter.