In the wake of stiff opposition from residents of several habitations residing along the banks of Adyar and Cooum rivers, the Tamil Nadu government and civic agencies are yet to decide on the eviction of those who encroach upon the rivers. 

This, officials pointed out, is expected to delay resettlement and rehabilitation projects in the city.

More than 4,000 families have been protesting against the eviction by civic officials along the banks of Adyar river, in areas such as Saidapet, for over a decade. The Tamil Nadu government has already built houses for the families in areas such as Perumbakkam, an official said. However, the families residing along the Adyar have stood their ground against eviction, and stressed the need for an in situ redevelopment of houses to protect their source of livelihood and access to their children’s education. They have also stressed the need to protect the rights of the vulnerable groups who reside in habitations along the river bank.

At a recent meeting of the Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust (CRRT), the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), the police, the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) and Metrowater, officials were unable to take a decision on eviction. According to sources, over 10,000 families along the Adyar and 12,000 families along the Cooum have been resettled in areas such as Perumbakkam. Several families have returned from such resettlement sites to the city as homeless residents, citing rising civic issues, unsafe conditions for women and poverty, among others.

Resettlement projects along the Cooum have also been delayed because of a court case, officials said.

In the past few years, civic officials had successfully persuaded most of the residents along the Cooum to agree for resettlement, promising better facilities, and claiming that the city would get better recreation spaces and infrastructure for flood mitigation.

However, residents along the Adyar, who are opposing the resettlement, have complained that the original proposal to create parks and recreation spaces along the river banks had been shelved by the government.