Scrap expressway project, CM urged

CHENNAI: Fishermen belonging to the four fishing villages of Urur Kuppam, Olcott Kuppam, Odai Kuppam and Thiruvanmiyur, have written to Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, requesting her to abandon the Beach Expressway Project ideated by the earlier DMK government. The letter stated that the villagers had passed resolutions to the effect and also mentioned the support extended to the fisher folk’s anti-expressway agitation by AIADMK functionaries last year.“In August last year, D Jayakumar, the present Assembly Speaker, led an agitation in front of the Panagal building demanding cancellation of the elevated beach expressway project. Velachery MLA M K Ashok too had assured voters of scrapping the project if voted to power,” recalled Saravanan, a member of Urur Kuppam Panchayat.“Residents of 12 fishing villages lying between Mylapore and Kottivakkam held a meeting earlier this week, where it was decided to forward their resolutions to the Chief Minister, asking her to protect the interests of the fishing community,” said Ramachandran, president of the Thiruvanmiyur Fishing Panchayat.Meanwhile, a petition circulated by the Save Chennai Beaches Campaign, signed by close to 1,000 people, was forwarded to the CM’s cell on July 6, demanding that the project be scrapped.The 9.5 km elevated expressway project was proposed from the Lighthouse to ECR in Kottivakkam.