Government considering monetary compensation for Kaliamman Koil street residents

CHENNAI: The city corporation is reviewing its offer of issuing Transferable Development Rights (TDR) certificate to residents affected by Kaliamman Koil Street widening project and may instead opt to compensate them monetarily.
The development comes in light of affected residents sending a representation via the newly formed Kaliamman Koil Street Residents Welfare Association (KKSRWA) to the government, asking to be compensated monetarily."While the acquisition is inevitable, it is also important to analyse the social impact on affected land owners, which ought to be compensated," the representation, a copy of which is with TOI, read.
As many as 251 owners had been identified and intimated by the corporation to part with land measuring 29,224.44 sq.m in order to take up the widening work. As compensation for the ceded land, the corporation had proposed to issue TDR in the owner's name, which is a development rights certificate that allows the land owner to re-develop his/her affected property to an area equal to what was ceded. The owner could also make up for the losses by selling the TDR for a sum to real estate developers.
"The government has positively taken note of the residents' demand. The option of monetary compensation is being reviewed. Property owners who had built their homes and buildings prior to 2008 would be considered eligible," said a senior corporation official.
Greater Chennai Corporation's Rs 150 crore widening proposal for Kaliamman Koil Street, a key stretch that connects Koyambedu with Arcot Road, involves widening the bus route road from Koyambedu till Chinmaya Nagar bus stand to 27.4m (90 feet) and from Chinmaya Nagar bus stand till Arcot Road to 24.4m (80 feet). The road's current width is between six and nine metres.
In October 2017, the corporation had issued notices to property owners asking them to issue as gift deeds the land parcel identified for acquisition to the civic body. "We are not against road widening but the compensation is unreasonable. What will I do with a TDR? It gives me the right to construct a portion equal to the area I would lose but would it cover construction costs?" said E S P Sivagiri, treasurer, KKSRWA.
Corporation officials batted for TDR. "At present, there are legal troubles (with TDR) which the housing board will settle in the future. But TDR is the way ahead. Developed cities around the world have adopted this format of compensation," said a corporation official.
Residents welcomed the initiative to review the compensation. "Had they not reviewed, we would have had no other choice but approach the courts," said B V Ramanan, the association’s secretary.