CHENNAI: There has been no let up in the Madras high court’s resolve to reclaim the Loop Road off the light house for motorists. On Thursday, it summoned the corporation commissioner, city police commissioner and the joint commissioner of traffic (south) to court on February 21, and ordered 24x7 vigil on the stretch.
A division bench of Justices Vineet Kothari and R Suresh Kumar asserted the Loop Road becomes increasingly non-motorable, particularly after 3pm, due to fishermen selling fish, and directed the corporation and police to maintain 24/7 vigil to ensure free flow of traffic.
“Chennai corporation commissioner, the police commissioner and their subordinates and also the joint commissioner (south traffic) will ensure that the entire Loop Road is kept free from encroachments and a 24x7 hours vigil is maintained to ensure that nobody is allowed to sit or squat on the Road or landside footpath of the road for selling fish, so as to allow a free flow of traffic of motorists, scooters and pedestrians,” said the bench.
Adding that there are also reports of people encroaching on the land side of the footpath on the Loop Road by raising constructions while the seaside footpath is yet to be created for which necessary approvals are in the process of being taken by the corporation, the bench directed the encroachments shall be identified and removed immediately.
Officials shall furnish a report along with site photographs on the next date of hearing, the bench added. As to the construction of footpath on the seaside of the road, the corporation submitted that it has given a letter to CRZ authority seeking relaxation for some time for furnishing map with scale of 1:4000 for the time being.
Recording the same, the bench directed the corporation to file a status report in respect of the new fish market to be constructed on 2 acres of land on the landside of the Loop Road and progress report of the construction with time frame within which it shall be completed.
The issue pertains to a batch of pleas, including one by Fishermen Care organisation, seeking to enhance allowance provided to fishermen families during the fishing ban period.
During the course of hearing, the court expanded the scope of the litigation and directed the corporation to regulate hawking on the Marina and the Loop Road.
A division bench of Justices Vineet Kothari and R Suresh Kumar asserted the Loop Road becomes increasingly non-motorable, particularly after 3pm, due to fishermen selling fish, and directed the corporation and police to maintain 24/7 vigil to ensure free flow of traffic.
“Chennai corporation commissioner, the police commissioner and their subordinates and also the joint commissioner (south traffic) will ensure that the entire Loop Road is kept free from encroachments and a 24x7 hours vigil is maintained to ensure that nobody is allowed to sit or squat on the Road or landside footpath of the road for selling fish, so as to allow a free flow of traffic of motorists, scooters and pedestrians,” said the bench.
Adding that there are also reports of people encroaching on the land side of the footpath on the Loop Road by raising constructions while the seaside footpath is yet to be created for which necessary approvals are in the process of being taken by the corporation, the bench directed the encroachments shall be identified and removed immediately.
Officials shall furnish a report along with site photographs on the next date of hearing, the bench added. As to the construction of footpath on the seaside of the road, the corporation submitted that it has given a letter to CRZ authority seeking relaxation for some time for furnishing map with scale of 1:4000 for the time being.
Recording the same, the bench directed the corporation to file a status report in respect of the new fish market to be constructed on 2 acres of land on the landside of the Loop Road and progress report of the construction with time frame within which it shall be completed.
The issue pertains to a batch of pleas, including one by Fishermen Care organisation, seeking to enhance allowance provided to fishermen families during the fishing ban period.
During the course of hearing, the court expanded the scope of the litigation and directed the corporation to regulate hawking on the Marina and the Loop Road.
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