Chennai, Nov. 28:
The Chengalpattu district administration has restarted the land acquisition process for the Kilambakkam Foot Overbridge (FOB), initiating steps to acquire 34,444 sq. ft of land required for the project.
A newly built state-of-the-art bus terminus spanning 40 acres at Kilambakkam near Vandalur was inaugurated on December 30, 2023 at a cost of ₹400 crore. With no Metro Rail connectivity to the area, commuters from various parts of Chennai and those arriving from other districts have been relying solely on city buses, causing significant inconvenience.
New Railway Station Under Construction
Taking this into consideration, a new railway station is being constructed between Urapakkam and Vandalur to facilitate the halt of suburban electric trains at Kilambakkam. The station aims to improve connectivity between the bus terminus and the suburban rail network.
₹74-Crore Foot Overbridge Project
To connect the upcoming railway station with the bus terminus, the construction of a 1,310-metre-long foot overbridge at a cost of ₹74 crore began last year. For this purpose, the district administration had initially announced the acquisition of 1 acre and 45 cents of land between the railway station and GST Road.
Legal Challenge and High Court Order
The acquisition notice was challenged in the High Court by DMK MP Jagathrakshakan and his family members. Hearing the petition, the court struck down the original land acquisition notification but permitted the government to issue a fresh one and resume the process.
Following this direction, the Chengalpattu district administration has now released a new notification for acquiring 34,444 sq. ft of land required for the foot overbridge project.
The district administration has also announced that landowners may file objections, if any, regarding the acquisition.
