G.O.(Ms) No.492, Construction of Pillar to commemorate the 75th year of India's Independence

What the approval covers

G.O.(Ms) No.492 dated 31 July 2021, issued by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Land Disposal Wing, LD4(1) Section, permits the Public Works Department to construct a commemorative pillar at the junction of Kamarajar Salai and Swami Sivananda Salai. The location is identified as T.S.No.3174, Block No.60, Triplicane Village, Chennai.

The pillar commemorates the 75th year of India's Independence. An earlier Public Works Department order had given administrative sanction for the construction at an estimated cost of Rs.1.95 crore.

Approvals and site review

The proposal was considered after reports, permissions and technical opinions from several public authorities:

• The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority issued planning approval for beautification work at the traffic island.
• The Greater Chennai Corporation inspected the site, found it suitable and permitted the Public Works Department to carry out the work.
• The District Collector, Chennai granted a No Objection Certificate based on reports from the relevant authorities.
• The Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai Police gave no objection from law and order and traffic perspectives.
• The Director, Highways Research Station provided technical recommendations for traffic visibility, pedestrian movement, road markings and signs.

Key conditions and design measures

G.O.(Ms) No.492 permits construction subject to the condition that the structure does not attract the Supreme Court orders in SLP (C) No.8519/2006 dated 18 January 2013, as addressed in G.O.(Ms) No.183, Revenue Department, dated 23 May 2017.

The technical measures include:

• Locating the pillar within a central traffic island measuring 22.10 X 21.85 X 6.00 m, without affecting traffic visibility.
• Providing a triangular channelising island measuring 4.85 X 3.21 X 2.70 m to separate free left-turn and right-turn traffic.
• Providing a pedestrian crossing on Sivananda Salai.
• Providing necessary road markings and road signs at the junction.

Relevance to property owners and buyers

G.O.(Ms) No.492 is a project-specific government approval for a traffic island in Triplicane Village. It does not state that private land is being acquired, transferred or subjected to any wider land-use restriction. The District Collector, Chennai and the senior Public Works Department engineering authorities were directed to take further action for the approved construction.