Court: Inauguration of MGR arch on Beach Road stayed

A division bench comprising Justice M Sathyanarayanan and Justice N Seshasayee passing interim orders on Monday on a plea moved by advocate D Dinesh Kumar, seeking to restrain the government from constructing the arch by violating statutory provisions, said that the government can proceed with the construction work as the stay is only against inauguration.

However, during the hearing, the bench slammed the government for failing to release compensations to the tune of Rs 850 crore ordered by courts across the state for landowners whose lands were acquired by the state during the past 15 years.

“When people are constrained to approach the courts even for getting meagre compensations of Rs 3,000 the state is spending crores on such projects. Even the previous governments were doing the same,” the bench added.

Contending that the arch does not fall on the highway, advocate-general Vijay Narayan submitted that the structure falls within the corporation limits. Almost 60% of the construction was completed and the inauguration is scheduled to be held next month, he said.

Recording the submissions, the bench said, if it is coming under corporation limit platforms on both sides of the arch must be considered and it must be treated as an encroachment of the pedestrian pathway. The plea has been posted to December 17 for further hearing.