Chennai, Oct 8 (NationPress) The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has officially ceased the approval of building plans in and around the ecologically vital Pallikaranai marshland, following a recent directive issued by the southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

In an announcement, the CMDA’s Master Plan Unit (MPU) confirmed that no new construction permits will be issued within the Ramsar-recognized wetland and within a one-kilometre buffer zone that surrounds it.

Local authorities have been directed to strictly adhere to the NGT’s order and the CMDA’s guidelines to safeguard the marsh.

This decision follows the NGT’s ruling on September 24, delivered by judicial member Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Prashant Gargava, which has temporarily halted all construction activities within one kilometre of the Pallikaranai marsh until a thorough scientific study delineates the wetland’s complete "zone of influence".

The Tribunal took this action after media reports surfaced about the construction of a road using debris in the Perumbakkam section of the marsh.

The new restrictions impact areas of Puzhuthivakkam, Madipakkam, Kulathur, Pallikaranai, Jalladianpet, Perumbakkam, Arasankalani, Semmancheri, Sholinganallur, Karapakkam, Injambakkam, Okkiyam Thoraipakkam, Seevaram, Perungudi, and Velachery — all now effectively restricted from receiving new building permits.

The CMDA informed the Tribunal that previous approvals were based on official revenue records which classified the land as private patta within a "primary residential use zone".

It also noted that there was no clear demarcation of marshland in the current Second Master Plan.

However, the authority is anticipating accurate survey data from the Tamil Nadu State Wetland Authority (TNSWA) to incorporate Ramsar boundaries into the forthcoming Third Master Plan, which is nearing completion. TNSWA surveys conducted last year revealed debris dumping just 150 meters from the Ramsar boundary and cautioned that modifications to natural stormwater channels could exacerbate flooding in nearby areas.

A study by Care Earth Trust previously suggested a comprehensive one-kilometre buffer to protect the marsh’s hydrology and biodiversity. The NGT has instructed the CMDA, TNSWA, and the state Water Resources Department to collaborate on mapping and finalizing the protected zone before any additional construction approvals can be considered. Environmental organizations have lauded this initiative as a critical measure to conserve one of southern India’s last significant urban wetlands.