Pillar ads: Plea against CMRL tender rejected

The first bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar while holding that the PIL was premature and hence dismissed, said, “The successful tenderer shall obtain requisite approval from the authorities concerned before granting licence and the licencing authority would have to ensure compliance of the relevant acts and rules.”

Advocate PS Prabu of Saidapet submitted in his PIL that the two corridors have 592 pillars, mostly located on the middle of the roads, Koyambedu-AlandurJawaharlal Nehru Road, Saidapet-St.Thomas Mount-Anna Salai and Alandur-Chennai Airport GST Road. 

Of these, 186 pillars are on the junctions and corners while 22 were near hospitals and nine each near temples, mosques, schools and colleges.

Most of the pillars for which advertisement licence has been called for are situated at the median and if allowed would be a distraction to road users.

Based on this he sought to quash the tenders issued in July last as illegal and unsustainable in law.