The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) closed a complaint on illegal encroachments in Kodambakkam without removing the roadside shops flagged by complainants.

A complaint filed on May 7 on the civic grievance portal alleged that shopkeepers had encroached on a stretch near a retail outlet opposite a private hospital in Kodambakkam by occupying portions of the road and collecting rent from roadside stalls.

The complaint stated that the encroachments had narrowed the road near a curve at the beginning of a one-way stretch.

The GCC marked the complaint as resolved the following day, stating that the issue had been rectified at the location. However, the complainant again flagged the issue on May 8, alleging that the complaint had been “falsely closed”.

Gopi, secretary of the Kodambakkam Subramanian Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association, alleged that similar instances had occurred earlier at the Chakrapani Street-Railway Border Road junction. “Officials removed the shops and took photographs, but the outlets reappeared within hours,” he said.

He alleged that roadside shops often temporarily vacated locations during inspections and returned after officials left. He also alleged that encroachments had resurfaced in areas such as Station View Road, Viswanathapuram Main Road, and Patel Road despite repeated raids. Some run with infrastructure as strong as a mini-restaurant, with grills, service section and seating, he mentioned.

He claimed that welfare association members who raised complaints and the officials who attempt to act on these matters had often faced threats from local political functionaries.

Officials in Kodambakkam Zone said the location came under Teynampet Zone, while Teynampet Zone officials said this area is within Kodambakkam Zone limits. After residents raised concerns, officials said the issue would be looked into. An official in Kodambakkam Zone said several shops had been removed from Ashok Nagar on Friday after a raid, and that this would be done in Saidapet, followed by other places of the zone in the coming days.