Kotturpuram residents block road protesting exclusion of names in housing scheme

Chennai: Residents of Chitra Nagar in Kotturpuram blocked the Kotturpuram road on Saturday, alleging irregularities in the allotment of apartments constructed under the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board’s housing scheme. Police detained the protesters and cleared the road, restoring traffic movement in the area.According to residents, more than 1,500 apartment houses were constructed as part of a rehabilitation housing project for families living in Chitra Nagar, which falls under the Saidapet assembly constituency. House allotments were made last week.However, residents claimed that 195 families who were living in Chitra Nagar for more than 50 years were not allotted houses under the scheme. They stated that beneficiaries from outside the locality had received allotments, while long-time residents had been excluded.The protesters said they had submitted multiple representations to the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board seeking redress. As there was no action, they blocked the road in Kotturpuram on Saturday morning.The demonstration affected vehicular traffic on the Adyar-Nandanam stretch for more than an hour. Police personnel arrived at the spot and held talks with the protesters, urging them to disperse and pursue their grievances through official channels.When the protesters continued the road blockade, police detained them and removed them from the site.