Decades-old encroachments around Perumal Teppam removed

In a major move, decades-old encroachments around Perumal Teppam, belonging to Koodal Alagar Temple, on the busy Town Hall Road were removed on Monday.

Under tight police security, Corporation authorities removed the makeshift shops and eateries around the tank in the presence of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department officials.

According to the officials, 108 shops were removed in the drive that lasted over five hours. “With this, all the encroachments around the tank have been removed as per the Supreme Court direction,” they said.

Once the debris was cleared, fencing work would begin around the tank, and the HR&CE Department would examine the modalities to fill the tank with the support of the Corporation.

Like the Mariamman Teppakulam, this temple tank too would require guidance from premier institutions such as the IITs and NITs. “We will also approach Thiagarajar College of Engineering for technical support,” they said.

The officials said in the 1980s or even earlier, after a portion of the tank on the northern side was rented out, the remaining space too was encroached upon by the shopkeepers. In the past, when the officials attempted to evict them, the tenants approached the court.

When the court directed eviction in an interim order, some of the shopkeepers approached the higher courts. With the apex court issued the final orders and notices were served on the tenants to vacate, the remaining 108 shops were cleared.

A senior citizen living in Kakathope, Palavesam, said the shops, mostly repairing watches initially, later became known for selling electronic goods of all types. They had sat entrenched around the tank as early as 1970.

During festivals, the shops would give way for the presiding deity of Koodal Alagar Temple, which would be drawn as a part of the celebrations.

However, over a period, the tank was completely encroached upon, denying any space for people to enter it, and the waterbody too turned dry, HR &CE officials Mariappan, Yagna Narayanan, Illangovan and Prathiba, and Peshkar Indra Rajan said.

With the removal of the encroachments, the officials are hopeful of bringing back the lost sheen of the tank.