Metro phase 2 row: Annamalai meets Madhavaram residents

CHENNAI: Madhavaram residents opposing the Metro phase II realignment in the area met the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State president K Annamalai on Saturday and urged for Thapalpetti station as per the original construction plan.

Annamalai meeting the residents assured pressure from the party’s side for the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) to adhere with the original plan.

“As we were informed of Annamalai visiting the area for a meeting on Saturday, we submitted a petition with our demands to the BJP leader. He assured on forwarding the petition to Prime Minister Narender Modi along with other Union Ministers,” said a Madhavaram resident.

Meanwhile, the residents are planning on approaching Union Minister for Housing & Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri and other policy makers and officials regarding the sudden realignment in the Metro phase II construction in Madhavaram.

As per the Detailed Project Report (DPR), the CMRL has acquired a vacant land and also paid compensation for the same. However, in October, the department abruptly realigned the plan as per the Madhavaram residents.

As the realignment is set to pass underneath the residential colonies, residents say that nearly 50 houses will have direct impact and about 300 houses in the surrounding areas will face indirect impact, and on overall affecting more than 1,000 individuals.

Also, the Thapalpetti station has been shelved, which will serve over 50,000 people in the area, even those living in interior Madhavaram, claim residents.