The Madras High Court has directed the Nilgiris district administration to proceed with the demolition of five more resorts located within the Segur Plateau elephant corridor in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. The direction follows the failure of the resort owners to submit affidavits explaining their position before the court.
The latest development is part of the continuing legal proceedings to protect the elephant corridor in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and prevent commercial activities from disturbing wildlife movement.
The Segur Plateau – The Elephant Corridor Important?
The Segur Plateau in the Nilgiris connects important elephant habitats, allowing elephants to move between forests in search of food, water and breeding grounds.
Resorts, buildings, compound walls and electric fences can obstruct these natural routes, increasing human-elephant conflict and threatening wildlife movement.
Protecting the corridor is therefore essential for both wildlife conservation and public safety.
Background of the Legal Dispute and Earlier Court Directions
The legal dispute dates back to 2010, when Tamil Nadu notified the Segur Plateau as an elephant corridor through G.O. Ms. No. 125 dated 31 August 2010. The Madras High Court upheld the notification in 2011.
The subsequent legal developments strengthened the protection of the corridor:
- 2018 – Supreme Court directions: Resort owners were asked to establish valid ownership and necessary approvals. Properties that failed to meet the requirements were ordered to be sealed. The court also directed the removal of electric fences and barbed-wire barriers.
- 2024 – Further clarification: The Supreme Court clarified that the Madras High Court could examine certain petitions filed by resort owners.
- September 2025 – Madras High Court judgment: In Sarootham Padmanabhan v. State of Tamil Nadu, the court upheld the demolition of illegal commercial constructions within the notified corridor.
The 2025 judgment also clarified the following:
- Private landowners may continue agricultural and other eco-friendly activities, provided they do not obstruct elephant movement.
- Electric and solar fences and other artificial barriers restricting elephant movement should not be installed.
- The government was directed to take steps towards notifying adjoining revenue lands as reserve forests and acquiring private lands within the corridor.
These directions form the basis for the ongoing monitoring of resort demolitions, land classification and enforcement action in the latest proceedings.
High Court Verdict in October 2026
According to the status report submitted by the Nilgiris district administration, 38 resorts within the elephant corridor had earlier been sealed. Of these:
- Four resorts have been completely demolished.
- Four resorts have been partially demolished.
- Owners of 25 resorts have submitted affidavits before the court.
- Five resort owners have failed to submit affidavits.
The court has directed the authorities to proceed with the demolition of the five resorts whose owners failed to file affidavits, in accordance with law.
Revenue and Forest Department officials have also been instructed to inspect the premises of resorts whose owners submitted affidavits and verify whether commercial activities are still being carried out.
459.89 Acres of Government Land Reclassified as Forest
Another significant development concerns the reclassification of government land within the elephant corridor.
The District Collector informed the court that an additional 424.45 acres of government land had been reclassified as forest land, apart from the 35.44 acres already brought under the forest category. This takes the total reclassified area to 459.89 acres.
The process of updating the corresponding revenue records through mutation is currently underway.
Additionally, 107.91 acres of government land have been proposed for notification under Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882, as part of the process towards declaring the land as reserved forest.
Private Patta Lands Also Under Examination
The proceedings also extend to private patta lands located within the corridor.
A preliminary survey has covered 226 survey field numbers, involving approximately 2,736.13 acres of patta land.
A Joint Committee headed by the Nilgiris District Collector, with representatives from the Revenue and Forest Departments and technical experts, has been formed to examine these properties in phases and identify lands suitable for acquisition.
The committee has proposed giving priority to areas near riverbeds and water bodies, considering their importance to wildlife movement and conservation.
The examination of private lands and the proposed acquisition process will be important developments to watch in the coming months.
Next Hearing on December 18, 2026
The Madras High Court has directed the district administration to submit a further status report on December 18, 2026.
The report is expected to cover the progress of resort demolitions, inspections to verify continued commercial use, and the steps taken towards land reclassification and examination of adjoining revenue lands.
What Does This Mean for Property Owners and Investors?
The proceedings highlight an important aspect of property ownership: having a registered sale deed or patta does not automatically permit every type of development or commercial activity on the land.
Properties located within notified elephant corridors and other ecologically sensitive areas may be subject to restrictions on construction, commercial use and development.
Land classified as forest land is generally subject to strict restrictions on residential construction, commercial buildings and other non-forest activities. Such development or change of use requires compliance with applicable forest and environmental laws and cannot be undertaken merely on the basis of patta or local-body approval.
For property buyers and investors, this case underlines the importance of checking not only ownership documents and revenue records but also environmental notifications, land classification and applicable development restrictions before purchasing land or investing in resort projects.
The developments in the Segur Plateau will remain significant for both wildlife conservation and real estate activity in the Nilgiris.
A Word of Caution for Property Investors
Anyone planning to invest in Ooty, the Nilgiris or surrounding hill areas must exercise additional care before purchasing land, constructing buildings or starting tourism-related businesses.
Apart from verifying ownership and revenue records, investors must check land-use classification, zoning restrictions, Hill Area Conservation Authority (HACA) clearances wherever applicable, Hill Station Building Rules, approved building plans, height and floor-area limits, and environmental restrictions. A residential building approval does not automatically permit commercial use as a homestay, cottage or resort.
This is not merely a precaution. As highlighted in our earlier article, Ooty seals six illegal tourist cottages: Why a residential building approval may not be enough, even a valid residential building approval does not automatically authorise commercial tourism activities.
So, ensure that every required government approval and licence is obtained in writing, before committing funds or commencing construction, is essential to avoid sealing, demolition, financial losses and legal disputes in future.