60 shops on govt land near Vandalur demolished

CHENNAI: Revenue authorities of Chengalpattu razed 60 shops and sheds built reportedly on government land at Keerapakkam village in Vandalur taluk on Monday. About 20 acres worth Rs 40 crore were retrieved, according to official sources.

The action came two days after Revenue Minister KKSSR Ramachandran held a meeting with district officials of Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, and Tiruvallur and told them to examine documents of land illegally assigned to private parties and encroached by commercial establishments.

Allegations of grabbing of government land by land sharks in collusion with revenue officials in villages in the neighbhouring districts of Chennai city led to this action, added the sources.“Over 15 parcels of land (20 acres) spread across Keerapakkam village had been encroached by several persons over the last two years. The encroachers built shops and sheds,” said an official. It is suspected that the land was sold to the occupants by a few local politicians. 

All Village Administrative Officers and Revenue Inspectors have been directed to report encroachments on government lands in their jurisdictions. “More encroachments have been identified on government lands at Vandaluru taluk,” added the official.