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        Residents of Kadaperi, near Tambaram, a southern suburb are a worried lot as their dream of a community playground in the neighbourhood is yet to materialise despite a very long struggle.

        Local people said that a large open space measuring about 6380 Sq ft in Rail Nagar, which was earmarked for a playground is in disuse.

        They also alleged that a significant portion of the open ground was 'encroached' and is in the 'possession' of an individual, a resident of Damodar Nagar.

        They expressed distress that because of a long drawn out legal battle they were unable to use the place as a playground.

        Commenting on the issue, President, Sri Subramanian Rail Nagar Residents Welfare Association, Kadaperi, S Vrinda Kumarai said that the layout for Rail Nagar area was made in 1975. The layout had 70 plots (Survey No.126 and 127) and was approved by the Directorate of Town Planning. Tambaram Municipality also approved it.

        Provision was also made for a playground measuring 6,380 Sq ft and it was shown as such in all the documents including the one prepared by the Town planning department. Vrinda Kumari alleged that the open ground was encroached to some extent by Balakrishnan, a local resident.

        'Our plans to use the space for which it was meant did not succeed because of this problem,' the top official of the welfare association said and added that they were constrained to knock at the doors of several courts to remove the encroacher. She also said that they filed a writ petition in the Madras High Court and on the petition, the court ruled that the Municipality should evict the 'encroacher' and maintain the place.

        This happened a few years back. Subsequently, a gift deed was also executed bestowing the 6380 piece of land in favour of Tambaram Municipality.

        However, there is no change in the situation till now and the encroacher continues to occupy some portion and the local body has not taken appropriate steps, she alleged. When Tambaram Talk spoke to a couple of residents to find out their opinion on the issue, all of them wondered why the municipality was not forthcoming to take over the place and maintain it for use as a playground for children.

        'At a time when there is little green space in and around Kadaperi for the public to use, this is a god sent opportunity and the Municipality should grab this,' S Mohammed Noorullah Basha said.

        Residents hope that the Municipality will take steps to develop the Rail Nagar playground and not deprive their children of a healthy urban life.
 

'We have proof'         The President of the welfare association averred that they have all the necessary documents to prove that the association is the lawful owner of the place.          'The Urban land tax demand notice was issued only to the resident association and not to anyone else,' K C Sampath Kumar, Secretary, Rail Nagar Welfare Association stressed. He also showed a lot of documents including correspondence between the association and government officials like the Tahsildar and the District Collector to retrieve the association land.