Madras High Court halts Brigade Enterprises Pallikaranai project till November 12 amid PIL over marshland zone

The Madras High Court has ordered Bengaluru-based real estate developer Brigade Enterprises Limited to temporarily halt construction activities at its Pallikaranai project site in Chennai until November 12, following a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that challenges the legality of the building permission granted for the project.

The interim order was passed by the first division bench, comprising Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan, based on a petition filed by AIADMK legal wing office-bearer J Brezhnev. The petitioner contended that the proposed high-rise residential complex falls within the prohibited zone of the Pallikaranai marshland, which is a Ramsar site—a wetland recognised under an international convention for its ecological importance.

According to the petitioner, any construction activity within or near the marshland could harm the sensitive ecosystem and violate environmental protection norms. The Tamil Nadu government, represented by the Advocate General, informed the court that the process of ‘ground truthing’—a method used to validate satellite data through on-site verification to determine the final boundaries of the 1,248-hectare Ramsar site—is currently underway and expected to be completed within two weeks.

The Advocate General further stated that the land in question is classified as private patta land, which had obtained the necessary environmental clearances from both central and state authorities before the building plan was approved. He also clarified that the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT) are actively monitoring the process of boundary delineation for the Pallikaranai marsh.

Representing Brigade Enterprises, senior counsel argued that the land is not part of any wetland but a dry, privately owned area with ownership records dating back to the 1980s. However, adhering to the court’s directive, the company agreed to pause all construction work until the next hearing, acknowledging that it is in its best interest to avoid any potential damage or controversy until the final judgment is delivered.