HC asks CMRL to repair law college building with heritage panel help

CHENNAI: The time has come for Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) to repair and renovate the old law college building, which was damaged during the tunneling work for the metro rail project. On Saturday, the Madras high court directed CMRL to approach the heritage committee of the court to carry out renovation work.

When the plea came up for hearing before a division bench of Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice V Parthiban, the PWD department produced a June 15 communication issued by CMRL.

“We have received your request for completion of the restoration of the law college building in conjunction with ASI and National Centre for Safety of Heritage Structures (NCSHS). As committed, the CMRL contractor has worked out the procedures for the repair work based on the recommendations of National Centre for Safety of Heritage Structures, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras. In this regard, we request you to nominate an officer to supervise the work being executed to comply with applicable standards and acknowledge satisfactory completion of the same,” the communication read.

Noting that the work should be carried out only under the guidance of the heritage committee of the court, the bench directed the CMRL to approach the heritage committee for further guidance.

As to the facilities to be provided in the two new law colleges established at Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur, the state informed the bench that out of 17 posts of associate professors, 40% of them should be filled by direct recruitment and 60% by way of promotion.

Recording the submission, the bench said: “It seems that no posts have been filled up so far. It may take considerable time for making appointments through direct recruitment. Therefore, this court directs the respondent government to fill up 60% of the posts through promotion immediately by following due procedures in giving subject-wise promotion and produce the promotion order before this court in the next hearing.”

As regards the recruitment of remaining 40% posts of associate professors, the government is directed to take necessary steps and inform this court in the next hearing, the bench added.