Madras HC stay on land acquisition process of Salem-Chennai eight-lane project

The Madras High Court Monday quashed land acquisition process for the Rs 10,000 crore Salem-Chennai eight-lane green corridor project, holding it required a mega realignment as the proposed route would have an adverse effect on the environment. A special bench of Justice T S Sivagnanam and Justice Bhavani Subbarayan passed the order allowing a batch of petitions by 35 landowners and PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss.

The bench observed the project would have an adverse effect on the environment, water bodies and it needed a mega realignment. The court had on December 14, 2018, reserved orders on the batch of petitions, challenging land acquisition proceedings.

The ambitious 277.3 km long eight-lane greenfield project connecting Salem and Chennai under the Centre's 'Bharatmala Pariyojana' scheme aims to cut travel time between the two cities by half to about two hours and 15 minutes. However, it has has been facing opposition from a section of locals, including farmers, over fears of losing their land, besides environmentalists who are against felling of trees for it.

(With inputs from agencies.)