Layout For 100 Houses To Come Up Near Chennai Beach, In Alleged Violation Of Norms

An illegal layout for 100 houses, being constructed hardly fifty metres from the seashore of Chennai's Tiruvanmiyur Kuppam Beach, violates Coastal Regulation Zone. Three roads are also being laid on the fragile sandy area. The beach-facing plots, measuring 400 square feet, are worth Rs 60 lakh each. Many say land grabbers are behind this. But the local fishing community claims they developed this on their own after pleas to expand their settlements went unheard for years. A case of trespass and encroachment has been filed by the Chennai municipal body, but it has not yet taken possession of the area.