Encroachers evicted at Mattuthavani

Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) had taken suo moto action against Madurai District administration and Madurai Corporation officials for encroachments mushrooming in various parts of the city. Though Officials submitted counter affidavit claiming that strict action were taken on the shops that had encroached upon public space, the High Court came down heavily on the officials and questioned them whether they would remove the encroachments only after the intervention of the Court.

Following the case, the officials ordered an eviction drive at Madurai Corporation. The eviction drive was carried out at the shopping complex located opposite to the Mattuthavani bus stand and Omni bus stand. Parking places, sheds and steps of the hotels which were constructed at the public space were removed with JCBs. Following the eviction drive the hotels were shutdown. Even some of the costly fancy lights hung outside hotels were also damaged during the eviction drive. The front portion of a Mosque located opposite to Mattuthavani bus stand, which was said to be an encroached structure was damaged and the steps leading to second floor was also removed. Officials at Madurai Corporation claimed that encroachments of 15 shops located opposite Mattuthavani bus stand were removed. 

Similar eviction drives were also carried out at Vakeel New Street and West Masi street in Madurai and some of the roadside shops were removed.