Leaders of fishing villages from San Thomé to the ECR areas have expressed their opposition to the State Government’s plan to build an elevated trafficway along the seashore from San Thomé to Tiruvanmiyur and then beyond.

This is being planned, to take the load off San Thomé High Road and in the Adyar areas where the traffic is heavy throughout the day.

They say that such a project will lead to their eviction or displacement from traditional living and work areas, affect the sea resources, and destroy the environment.

This development comes even as details of the project are being firmed up. The expressway was to have started at the Light House point. To ensure that some key statues are not ‘displaced’, we learn the expressway will now start from the edge of the DGP’s Office. It will run through the Nochchikuppam area, Srinivasapuram and over the Adyar River, along Elliot’s Beach and branch off towards Tiruvanmiyur, thus connecting with the East Coast Road and serving the rapidly expanding colonies there.

There is already some tension in the San Thomé kuppam following the eviction of some families who were hit by tsunami. The project to build new tenements in place of the run down ones for the locals has also created tensions.

Already, the eco spaces off MRC Nagar have been developed into huge office and residential complexes.

While there is considerable agitation by students and residents in Besant Nagar on this project, with movements like Reclaim our Beaches (ROB) involved in a host of sensitisation campaigns and educational events, the community in San Thomé and Mylapore has not responded to these exhortations.