CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the Tiruvallur District Collector to take steps to remove encroachments allegedly made by a private university in Konambedu village near Avadi within 12 weeks.
A Division Bench comprising Justices SM Subramaniam and K Surender issued the direction after recording a survey report filed on behalf of the district administration stating that about 2,476 square metres of land had been encroached upon through the construction of a compound wall and college buildings.
The report also stated that instructions had already been issued to the concerned Revenue officials and the Avadi Municipal Corporation authorities to initiate action to clear the encroachments.
The order was issued on a petition filed by Konambedu Gramma Pothu Nala Sangham, represented by its president, G Karunanidhi, alleging that St Peter's Arts and Science College and St Peter's Engineering College/University had encroached upon government land.
According to the petitioner, structures, including an electricity substation, a private access road, and student hostels, had been constructed on the encroached land.
The petitioner further submitted that the nearby Avadi Municipal Higher Secondary School lacks basic infrastructure and requested the court to direct the authorities to retrieve the land and utilise it for the development of the school.
Recording the district administration's submissions, the Bench directed the Tiruvallur authorities to remove the encroachments within the stipulated period.