Kilambakkam Bus Terminus caught in a legal tangle

CHENNAI: The proposed Kilambakkam Bus terminus for south-bound buses, near Vandalur, suffered a blow after the Supreme Court admitted a petition challenging the orders of the Madras High Court which rejected a petition filed by VGP Housing against the acquisition of land by the State government. This would mean that after six years since the project for a bus terminus for south-bound buses was announced in the Assembly, the government has to identity land.

The State had zeroed in on Kilambakkam after the Supreme Court gave a favourable verdict upholding acquisition of 88.52 acres of land from VGP last year.

Though the project was facing challenges over getting clearance from the Archaeological Survey of India, a blueprint was prepared and the project was in its final stages when VGP Housing Private Limited again approached the SC. The court admitted the petition by VGP against an order of a division bench of the Madras HC during a hearing on December 8, 2017.

“It is learnt that the State has been asked to file a reply within four weeks and the case is listed in the last week of January,” official sources said.

VGP Housing has challenged the land acquisition and has alleged that Section 9 (2) (b) of the Land Reforms Act has not been complied with while making the acquisition. This was turned down by the High Court. It is learnt that the State is preparing a counter and is hoping for a favourable order from the SC.

The technical committee of Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, which approved the 66-acre plan for the terminus, suggested the Build-Operate-Transfer model for it.