One Lakh Patta Holders Affected; Ramsar Freeze Halts South Chennai Growth
CHENNAI: Over 100,000 patta holders in South Chennai are facing a housing and ownership crisis due to construction valued at approximately ₹1 lakh crore being stalled. This is largely a result of the CMDA freezing planning approvals surrounding the Pallikaranai Ramsar site last October, according to the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI). During a press conference on Tuesday, CREDAI urged the CMDA to reconsider the 1-km Ramsar influence zone that covers 3,358 hectares (8,397 acres), which has made large areas of Velachery, Pallikaranai, Perungudi, Sholinganallur, and Perumbakkam unviable for future construction. Viswajith Kumar, vice-president of CREDAI’s…