Residents of OMR, Pallikaranai and Thoraipakkam organised a protest end January to condemn the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) ban on building permits within a one-kilometre radius of the Pallikaranai marshland. The CMDA circular dated October 6, 2025 halted all construction activity in the area pending the definition of a “zone of influence” by the Tamil Nadu Wetlands Authority.
The demonstration was held between 9 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. on January 29 on the 200 Feet Road. The Federation of Thoraipakkam Residents Welfare Associations organised the event, stating that the ban has curtailed the property rights of citizens holding patta lands and approved house sites in areas including Perungudi, Sholinganallur, and Medavakkam. They argued that the State government should focus on removing existing encroachments within the marshland as mandated by a 2022 National Green Tribunal order, rather than penalising legitimate property owners. They demanded that any proposed buffer or influence zone be established within the existing boundaries of the marshland.
Published – February 03, 2026 05:30 am IST
