HC orders notice to govt, CMRL in plea against works in Light House - Poonamalee corridor

CHENNAI: A division bench of Madras High Court on Thursday directed the State government and Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) to file their response on a petition against implementing the metro rail works between Light House and Poonamallee under Phase II of the CMRL works.

The bench comprising Justice GR Swaminathan and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy passed the direction to the State and CMRL on a petition jointly filed by y G Gouthaman, PR Ramanan, and S Vijay Narayanan.

The petitioners prayed for a direction for an interim injunction restraining the State and CMRL from implementing the Metro rail works in corridor four under Phase II.

The petitioners alleged that the CMRL’s Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and Social Impact Assessment (SIA) did not cover several temples in the Light House and Poonamallee line which are heritage sites as per the Archeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.

“Mylai Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple, Vadapalani Sri Murugan Temple, Vadapalani Sri Vengeeswarar Temple, Vadapalani Sri Alagar Perumal Temple, Virugambakkam Sri Sundaravardharaja Perumal Temple, Valasaravakkam Sri Velveeswarar Temple, Poonamallee Sri Thirukachi Nambigal and Sri Varadaraja Perumal Temple, Poonamallee Sri Thirukachi Nambigal and Sri Varadaraja Perumal Temple Tank are 100 years old in the proposed Light House - Poonamallee line of CMRL. As per the direction of the Madras HC in a suo-motu case and Venice Charter 1964, the 100-year-old sites should be declared as heritage sites, ” the petitioners submitted.

The petitioners also submitted that these temples and premises should have been covered in the CMRL’s EIA and SIA.

On recording the submissions, the bench directed the state and CMRL to respond on the matter.