MADURAI: The Madurai bench of Madras High Court on Friday directed the Tirunelveli Collector to immediately remove encroachments along highways in Ambasamudram. A petition filed by Subathra came up for hearing before a division bench comprising Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice V Lakshminarayanan.

The petitioner stated that lands meant for the Highways Department in Ambasamudram were encroached and such encroachments were certainly affecting vehicular traffic and the public as well. Despite representing demands for evicting such encroachments through petitions several times since 2016 to authorities concerned, no action has been taken so far.

The bench, after hearing expressed concern over inaction of Tahsildar, Ambasamudram and investigations revealed that the Tahsildar acted in favour of those encroachers and in a manner to protect the encroachers. Further, the bench instructed the Tirunelveli Collector not to wait until the copy of order, but to immediately remove the encroachments and ordered the Collector to submit an action report based on the directive. The case was then adjourned.