Chennai: Families and traders in Washermenpet observed a day-long hunger strike with traders donning black badges, having shut their shops to seek an alternative alignment for the upcoming metro rail line on Wednesday.
According to residents, 117 shops, 500 homes and a playground will be lost with the current layout of the upcoming project.
The protest comes days after the revenue officials in the state addressing residents and promising compensation that would be twice the market value for the acquired lands.
The protesters wanted the metro officials to consider an alternate route for the construction of metro rail station and depot. Around 1,000 residents of areas like Wimco Nagar, Chinna Ernavoor, Ambedkar Nagar, Bharath Nagar observed a hunger strike on Tiruvottriyur High Road from 8 am to 5 pm. Residents fearing a loss of livelihood wanted metro officials to use railways owned land for metro work.
“If an alternative route is planned using the vacant factory land instead of the land that houses us, it will not affect our homes and livelihood,” said Das of Ambedkar Nagar. He owns a printing press in the area that would be acquired for metro rail work.
The Wimco Nagar playground is the site where the Wimco Nagar metro station will be built, and depot on the land that houses shops and houses, according to the current layout plan, he added. Metro rail officials were unaware of the protest, and one official said that the final decision will be taken by the Central and state governments. Thol. Thirumavalavan of VCK addressed the protesting residents.
