Residents of Aadhi Nagar and Santha Sheela Nagar in Ward 25 staged a one-day hunger strike on Tuesday, protesting against the Tiruchi City Corporation’s move to evict long-time dwellers to make way for a proposed road between Panjapur bus terminus and Kudamurutti bridge. The road is expected to serve as a major link for buses heading towards Karur.

The protest, organised by the West Zone Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), took place along the eastern bank of the Uyyakondan canal. Residents alleged that the Corporation officials had begun marking properties for the project without holding consultations with the stakeholders.

Protesters said many residents had been living in the area for over 40 years and possess valid records besides being promptly paying property tax. They demanded that the Corporation ensure urban development did not come at the cost of demolishing homes in legal settlements.

The hunger strike was addressed by CPI(M) state committee member S. Sridhar and district secretary Govi Vetri Selvam, along with other senior leaders, who voiced solidarity with the residents’ demand for fair treatment.