The Hindu       08.12.2011

Court grants Chennai Corporation time over parking lot

The Madras High Court on Wednesday granted four weeks time for the Chennai Corporation counsel to get instructions as to whether the proposed construction of a multi-level car parking by the side of Panagal Park at T.Nagar here will in any way obstruct the park area.

The First Bench comprising the Chief Justice M.Y.Eqbal and Justice T.S.Sivagnanam passed the order on a public interest litigation petition by K.R.Ramaswamy alias ‘Traffic' Ramaswamy, a social activist.

In his petition, Mr.Ramaswamy said the civic body had proposed to construct the multi-storeyed car parking by closing Bashyam Road entrance to park. If the structure is put up, it would inconvenience to the public who wished to go to the park. Without considering objections, the corporation had passed a resolution to construct the facility.

The previous government proposed to construct the parking facility at the place where the T.Nagar bus terminus is now located; but the move was later dropped.

The petitioner said Panagal Park area was already congested as several shop owners had not provided car parking.

He had sent a telegram to the authorities to withdraw the proposal.

He prayed the court to direct the authorities to take action on his telegram so that the public could go to the park without any inconvenience.

When the matter came up, the Government Pleader took notice.