Arulmigu Sri Sundara Varadaraja Perumal Temple, said to be at least 800 years old temple is located in Virugambakkam suburb of Chennai. The Sunguvar Brahmin community had donated lands in the region for the maintenance of the temple.
As per 1910 records, these lands were shown being under the Taluk Board which over a period of time were encroached by land sharks. The temple pond however existed which were also gobbled up by encroachments. The erstwhile temple pond is now a garbage dump.
Later, a Muslim party had tried to grab a portion of this land belonging to the temple to build a mosque. The local mosque committee, which planned to build a mosque registered three acres of the illegally occupied land in its name with the help of government officials.
After a long drawn court struggle, the Chennai collector rejected Muslim party’s claims and restored the lands to the Taluk Board. Since these lands are in the name of the Taluk Board, efforts are underway to reclaim the land and the temple pond in the temple’s name.
Adjacent to the Sri Sundara Varadaraja Perumal Temple is a small Kaliamman temple which also has a pond that currently has been encroached and efforts to reclaim this pond are also under way.
Recently, work commenced on phase 2 construction of Chennai Metro. Under phase 2, Corridor 3 (Madhavaram to SIPCOT), Corridor 4 (Light House to Ponnamallee) and Corridor 5 (Madhavaram to Shollinganallur) lines are being developed. A few days ago, the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) made big changes to implementation of phase 2 plan and has prioritized construction of the construction of elevated corridor from Poonamallee to Power House (Kodambakkam) that traverses through Porur, Alapakkam, Valasaravakkam and Saligramam along the Arcot Road.
Corridor 4 will meet Corridor 5 at Virugambakkam. The Kaliamman Kovil Street Junction falls under Corridor 5. It is near Kaliamman Kovil Street that the line takes a sharp bend and proceeds to CMBT. Initially, Corridor 5 was planned to pass through private lands and join the Corridor 4. Now, concerns have arisen that Corridor 5 is being planned to cut through the temple land and the nearby pond.
A Facebook page named Sivan Sothu (Lord Shiva’s property) has brought to light that the viaduct 3 (ECV -02) of Corridor 5 takes a bow shaped bend and meets the Corridor 4 which runs right over the Arulmigu Sri Sundara Varadaraja Temple. The plan also calls for erecting pillars on nearby temple tank belonging to the Amman Temple that has already been encroached. The rest of the viaduct also runs over the temple property currently listed under Taluk Board.
Speaking to The Commune, temple activist Gauthaman said “The original plan was for the Corridor 5 to run over Kaliamman Koil Street and then take a right turn avoiding the Temple and Temple Tank. The plan has now been changed. Perhaps, the government is trying to save some by constructing the line over the temple, temple tank and the temple property or it has come under the influence of the private land owners affected by the previous configuration”.
The Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department as usual, seems to be a mute spectator in the case, Mr. Gauthaman added. Further he said that erection of the pillars on the already encroached temple ponds prevents the restoration of the temple tank itself.
In light of this, a letter has been sent to the Managing Director of Chennai Metro Rail Limited to change the Corridor 5 VIADUCT 3 ECV-02 plan in such a way that the temple and nearby temple tank are not affected.
The Commune had tried to reach out to CMRL for comments but were unavailable. This space will be updated as and when the communication comes.