A former Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) VN Ravi has been allegedly accused of illegally encroaching Greater Chennai Corporation’s (GCC) land in Chennai’s Virugambakkam constituency. The ex-MLA is running a trust called the VNR trust in the Corporation’s land, bordering the Virugambakkam burial ground, and according to the concerned ward councillor Stella Jasmine Rathna, Ravi is allegedly stealing electricity from inside the burial ground.
“At Erikarai street in my ward (number 128), the ex-MLA has constructed a room in the corporation's land, devoted for the public to use as a burial ground. He has built a shed also and is running a trust called VNR trust. The trust’s compounds spread across 400-500 square feet. It has been running for the last one and a half years and complaints regarding electricity connection being stolen from inside the burial ground compound have been mounting,” councillor Stella told TNM.
The trust, which is meant to aid families who cannot afford last-rights services, was closed when TNM visited the premises. However, the vehicles under VNR’s trust’s name used for death processions were parked outside, occupying the road.
When this issue was raised in the council meeting held at the Ripon building in July 2023, Deputy Mayor Mahesh Kumar acknowledged and said that the complaint has been raised multiple times in the last two years by several members of the ruling party as well as the public. Following the council meeting, a letter was issued to Ravi to present the corporation with the Government Order (GO) which sanctions the running of the trust in the corporation's land, Stella said. However, TNM has learnt that VN Ravi has not submitted the same yet.
“I have been running that trust for the last four years in the same place. The approval to run it was granted when AIADMK was the ruling party,” Ravi told TNM. However, he added that he is unable to present the GO for proof from his end. “I have shifted my office and I am unable to find the paperwork. I have written back to the corporation stating the reason. It is not being run illegally,” he claimed.
Ravi also added that the trust is only functioning within the constructed building and that the vehicles used for death processions are parked elsewhere. However, during TNM’s visit, a couple vehicles were spotted parked outside. The vehicles were also parked outside one of GCC’s functioning public toilets located right next to the trust’s building.
VNR Trust's funeral procession vehicle parked outside GCC's public toilets, next to the trust's building.
When TNM approached the city’s Mayor R Priya for a comment, she said, “We are aware of this issue and the complaints have been acknowledged. From the corporation’s end, we will check for a copy of the GO which VN Ravi claims exists.We will also check the purpose for which the order was issued and take action if necessary.”