The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) will purchase a private temple land in West Mambalam for Rs 18.85 crore following the intervention of the Madras High Court. The land, measuring 24,000 sq ft on School Road, has housed a corporation school since 1937, benefitting nearly 2,500 students.
Court steps in
According to a report by The Hindu, the dispute began when Shri Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Devasthanam filed a petition in 2021, stating that the GCC had not paid rent since 1969. While the Corporation initially questioned the temple’s ownership, the Devasthanam produced documents, including a civil court decree, lease deed and past rent records, to prove its title.
After failed mediation in 2023, Justice N Anand Venkatesh suggested that the Corporation buy the land to secure the school’s future. Though guideline and market values pegged the land at Rs 5,500 and Rs 10,701 per sq ft respectively, the judge fixed the price at Rs 7,800 per sq ft, amounting to Rs 18.85 crore.
Govt sanction
On July 23, 2025, the Tamil Nadu government granted administrative sanction for the purchase, exempting GCC from stamp duty and registration charges. The High Court had earlier imposed a cost of Rs 5 lakh on the Corporation for repeatedly disputing the temple’s ownership.
The registration of the sale deed is expected in the coming days, with the case posted for compliance on September 4, 2025.
