The elevated corridor of the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) from Beach to Velachery was constructed along the perimeter of the Buckingham Canal afree evicting a large number families near Mylapore and Mandaveli. As compensation the State government allotted alternative land at Balaji nagar of Pallikaranai. 

Now a new encroachment has started cropping up with concrete houses being built right along the elevated corridor of the MRTS near  Perungudi railway station. The Perungudi and Velachery railway stations were constructed along the perimeter of the Pallikaranai Marshland. 

Several concrete houses are being constructed near the elevated railway tracks of the MRTS and that too in the water body of Perungudi in recent months. 

Social activist S. Kumararaja said a natural water body has been formed on the north side of the elevated tracks between Perungudi and Taramani railway station. However last year a few huts were first installed near the elevated tracks after clearing the wild bushes. All these hutments have now been converted into multi-storey concrete houses with complete infrastructure facilities – electricity and metro water connections- provided to these encroachers. 

The concrete houses have been constructed behind the bushes but close to the railway tracks so that the encroachments would not be easily visible. 

Social activists rue that a huge portion of the marshland has already fallen to encroachments where the Kallumuttai area has been formed.

T. Shanmugam, a resident of Bharani street in Velachery, asked: “How come when house owners with legitimate pattas have to go through a lot of procedures to get power and water connections, the encroachers get it without any fuss?”

A senior official of Southern Railway said the encroachments have come up in the water body of the marshland and near the railway tracks. The removal of encroachments has to be carried out by the State government, he added.