Madras High Court Demands Answers on Semmenchery Police Station Encroachment

On August 14, 2025, the Madras High Court ordered the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) to submit the original master plan for the Tamaraikani tank area in Shozhinganallur, Chennai. The court wants to determine whether the Semmenchery police station, which has not been operational since 2019 due to interim orders, was constructed on the waterbody or its catchment areas.

The court made it clear that it will not permit the police station to become operational if it is found to have been built on the waterbody or its surroundings. This order comes as part of a 2019 public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by the anti-corruption organization Arappor Iyakkam.

In April 2021, the court had ordered a detailed study by IIT-Madras faculty, who found that the Tamaraikani tank was part of the larger Periya Eri, a mosaic of tanks. The experts reported that there had been "blatant and complete encroachment" of the entire Periya Eri by private and government institutions, including the Semmenchery police station on the northern side. They recommended the removal of all encroachments for the meaningful restoration of the waterbody.

Based on the experts' findings, the court had earlier prohibited the police station from becoming operational and any new construction on the waterbody. Now, the court has reiterated its stance, awaiting the submission of the master plan by the CMDA to determine the fate of the Semmenchery police station.