Residents of five neighbourhoods in Velachery have urged authorities to exclude their areas from the Pallikaranai Marsh influence zone, citing difficulties in obtaining housing approvals and carrying out property transactions. The affected neighbourhoods include Tansi Nagar, VGP Selva Nagar, Balamurugan Nagar, Annai Indira Nagar and Vijayanagar. Residents said the inclusion of these areas in the marsh's buffer or influence zone has created uncertainty for hundreds of families. According to residents, many properties in these neighbourhoods are part of CMDA-approved layouts and have valid pattas and property tax records dating back more than 40 years. However, homeowners said they are facing difficulties in obtaining building plan approvals to rebuild or redevelop old houses. Residents also claimed that the classification is affecting property sales and bank loan approvals, as homeowners face uncertainty over whether redevelopment or construction will be permitted on their properties. The issue comes amid ongoing efforts to protect the Pallikaranai Marsh, an ecologically sensitive wetland recognised as a Ramsar site. The National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) is undertaking scientific validation of the marsh boundaries and assessing its ecological zone of influence. Residents have called for a scientific and transparent review of the influence-zone boundaries. They said established residential areas with long-standing property records should be assessed separately from ecologically sensitive portions of the marsh. Homeowners are particularly concerned about ageing houses that require reconstruction. They said restrictions linked to the influence-zone classification are preventing families from undertaking redevelopment despite having occupied the neighbourhoods for several decades. The dispute highlights the challenge of balancing wetland conservation with the rights of residents in established residential areas. Residents are seeking clear guidelines on construction approvals, property transactions and redevelopment permissions while ensuring that the Pallikaranai Marsh continues to receive necessary environmental protection. The outcome of the ongoing boundary and ecological-zone assessment could have a significant impact on housing approvals, property values and future real estate activity in parts of Velachery.