Bharathiar University Land Transfer Puts TN Tech City Back in Spotlight

Coimbatore: A proposal to transfer 196.22 acres of Bharathiar University land to the Tamil Nadu government has brought the future of TN Tech City back into focus, nearly two years after the original project was stalled following environmental concerns and legal intervention.

Under the proposed arrangement, around 77 acres falling within an elephant corridor would be transferred to the Forest Department, while the remaining land is proposed for TIDCO to facilitate the establishment of non-polluting industries. However, the proposal does not amount to a revival of TN Tech City, and no official decision confirming the project's reinstatement has been established.

TN Tech City was announced in the Tamil Nadu government's 2023-24 Budget and was envisioned as an integrated technology hub in Chennai, Coimbatore and Hosur. The Coimbatore project covered 321.74 acres in Somayampalayam village, near Bharathiar University, and envisaged IT offices, research facilities, commercial spaces, residential infrastructure and other supporting amenities.

ELCOT initiated the planning and tender process under a public-private partnership model. However, conservationists and nature enthusiasts opposed the project, citing the site's ecological sensitivity and its location along the foothills of Marudhamalai. The proposed site lies between the forest boundary and the Bharathiar University and Anna University regional campuses. It also falls within a landscape used by elephants moving between the Thadagam and Boluvampatti valleys. Opponents further highlighted the area's coverage under the Hill Area Conservation Authority framework and called for restrictions on large-scale development.

In June 2024, the Madras High Court issued an interim stay in a legal challenge concerning the project's proximity to forest land and wildlife movement routes. The stay was subsequently extended. ELCOT scrapped the original master-plan tender in early 2025, while the district administration indicated that a modified proposal excluding the disputed area could be considered. A smaller development covering around 50 acres was later discussed as an alternative. However, formal approval and the commencement of construction have not been established in the available records.

The latest land-transfer proposal follows a separate process linked to enhanced compensation for farmers whose land was acquired for the university. The university's Syndicate has approved the transfer subject to the State government bearing the entire compensation expenditure. The arrangement is also linked to the withdrawal of pending compensation-related appeals by affected landowners.

The university has proposed non-polluting technological or manufacturing industries on the land intended for TIDCO. The nature and scale of any development will depend on the government's final orders, applicable environmental restrictions and the clearances required.

Whether the government will pursue a revised technology city, a smaller technology-focused development or an independent industrial project remains unclear. For now, the proposed transfer represents a fresh land-use development in Somayampalayam, while the status of the original TN Tech City project remains unresolved.