The Madras High Court has appointed a three-member committee to inspect a portion of the P. Orr and Sons Ltd. building on Anna Salai here, and submit a report on its present physical condition and the likelihood of any untoward incident which may be injurious to occupants.
The panel, comprising Mohan Ramanathan, Managing Partner, Build Aids, Nadimuthu, former Chief Engineer, PWD, and V. Parthiban, an advocate, has also been asked to note down whether any precaution needs to be taken as per the Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act.
The exercise should be completed by June 30. A report should be submitted to the court on July 1.
Justice S. Vaidyanathan passed the order on a writ petition by P. Orr and Sons which challenged a demolition notice of the Chennai Corporation dated April 1 last year.
The petitioner’s counsel contended that the demolition of the ‘ABCD’ marked portion of the building was not warranted as the structure was strong and stable. As per the Act, the Corporation could direct the owner or occupier to fence off or repair the structure to prevent untoward incidents, but no opportunity had been given to the petitioner to set the building right.
Krishnasrinivasan, counsel for Associated Publishers (Madras) Pvt. Ltd., whose tenant was P. Orr and Sons, said the building was in a dilapidated condition and had been rendered weak due to the use of tunnel boring machines for the Metro Rail project. It endangered the life of not only occupants, but also passers-by, he said.
