TN fisherfolk question urgent demolitions in Pattinapakkam amid proposed Secretariat project

The Tamil Nadu Housing Board's (TNHB) decision to invite tenders for demolishing 96 rental tenements at Foreshore Estate in Pattinapakkam has raised fresh concerns among fishing community representatives, who have been demanding the 3.82-acre site for their long-term rehabilitation. 

Fishermen leaders have questioned the urgency of the demolition, alleging that clearing the buildings while the government continues to pursue its proposed new Secretariat and Assembly project on the same site could be seen as a reason for the complex’s construction. However, the TNHB has cited the deteriorating condition of the buildings as the reason for clearing them. The structures were reportedly constructed nearly 50 years ago.

Speaking to TNM, K Bharathi, president of the South Indian Fishermen Welfare Association, said that though the buildings are in a dilapidated condition, there is no immediate need to demolish them, particularly as all the tenants have already vacated the premises.

“None of the tenants who were there earlier are living there now. If you ask whether the buildings are in a dilapidated condition, yes, they are. We are not disputing that. But the question is whether there is such an urgency to demolish them immediately. Given the tense situation that currently exists, we do not think there is any need to do it in such a hurry,” he said.

The TNHB's Nandanam division issued an e-tender, dated November 2, for demolishing 96 Board rental tenements and other buildings at Mylapore village in Chennai district.

According to the tender document, the upset value for the demolition work has been fixed at Rs 41,61,785, excluding GST. The last date for submitting tenders is December 1, 2026. The successful bidder will have to demolish the structures up to ground level, remove the debris and level the site within 75 days from the commencement of work. Failure to complete the work within the stipulated period will attract a penalty of Rs 1,500 per day.

The housing units were originally allotted under the public quota to working-class families and government employees under the TNHB's low- and middle-income housing schemes. In 2022, the TNHB Chief Revenue Officer cancelled the allotments, citing the deteriorating condition of the blocks, and the decision was challenged by the Pattinapakkam MIG Residents' Welfare Association.

According to senior TNHB officials, some residents approached the Madras High Court against the move. The officials said the High Court, in August, gave the residents 45 days to vacate the premises. The residents approached the Supreme Court, where their case was dismissed. Following the court proceedings, the Board issued notices asking the allottees to vacate the houses. 

Bharathi also questioned the timing of the tender process, given that the government had been discussing consultations with the affected fishing communities. “On one hand, the government says they are trying to hold discussions with us, while on the other hand, tenders are being floated. Even if there is a court order, this is not the right situation to proceed with it. This is a cyclone period,” he said.

According to fishermen, the 3.82-acre Foreshore Estate site is the land they have been seeking for their permanent rehabilitation under Section 6, Annexure IV, Clause 5(3) of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2019. But the government's decision to propose a new Secretariat on the same land, without addressing their rehabilitation demands first, has raised concerns among the community.

The panchayat representatives have also raised concerns about the absence of details regarding mandatory CRZ clearance in the tender documents. They said all the buildings proposed for demolition fall within the CRZ area and warned that demolition work in that zone could cause dust, noise, traffic congestion and other environmental impacts. 

The government had issued GO 564 on September 8, granting approval for initiating the process to construct a new Secretariat and Legislative Assembly complex at Pattinapakkam, also known as Foreshore Estate. The proposed complex is estimated to cost Rs 1,200 crore and is expected to have a built-up area of around 20 lakh square feet.

While the project covers around  26 acres, 21.37 acres belong to the TNHB, 0.93 acres to the Greater Chennai Corporation, and approximately 1.20 acres are classified as land for which Revenue Department records are unavailable.

In September, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) approved the reclassification of 21.37 acres at Foreshore Estate from various existing land-use categories to commercial use. The state government has directed the Public Works Department (PWD) to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) and cost estimates for the proposed complex. The government has maintained that the DPR is still under preparation and that the project remains at a preliminary stage.

The fishing community has been strongly opposing the project, fearing losing traditional residential and livelihood space. They also fear that a government complex, with restricted access and tight security, could affect their daily fishing activities, including access to the sea, movement of boats and the buying and selling of fish. They have also raised concerns that the project could further worsen traffic congestion in the coastal neighbourhood, particularly during peak hours. 

“Only withdrawing the GO 564 would reduce our fear. Unless that happens, whatever developments take place here will be perceived as a next stage to this new Secretariat project,” he said.

Meanwhile, the fishermen from the Mylapore and Triplicane areas boycotted a consultation meeting convened by the Chennai district administration on the proposed Secretariat project, alleging that the authorities had failed to issue formal written invitations to all affected fishing villages.

The consultation was initially scheduled to be held at the Chennai Collectorate at 10 am on November 3. At a meeting held on November 1 at 6 pm, representatives of the Mylapore and Triplicane fishing village panchayats unanimously decided not to participate.

In a letter addressed to the Assistant Director of the Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare Department, the representatives said that only a few panchayat members had been informed about the meeting over the phone. They alleged that formal written invitations had not been sent to all the affected village panchayats.

The representatives clarified that they were not opposed to consultations on the project. However, they said that all affected villages must be formally invited and allowed to place their concerns before the government.

“They have said that they would hold discussions with the fisherfolk. But informing only a few people over the phone and asking them to attend, without following a proper procedure, seems not right. It does not appear that they genuinely intend to seek the opinions of everyone affected. Instead, it seems that they are trying to obtain opinions favouring them,” he said.

“If a proper invitation is sent again, formally and in writing, inviting the panchayat leaders to participate in the consultation and give their views, we will definitely attend. If that does not happen, we will go to the venue where the meeting is being held and boycott it from there,” said GR Vijayan, another fishermen leader.

The consultation meeting, which was scheduled for November 3, has now been postponed to November 5.