Madurai
After details on roadside shops submitted by Assistant Commissioner (Revenue) pointed out to the fact that licences were granted to 542 shops, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court directed the Commissioner of Madurai Corporation to inspect with the help of officials the roadside shops located from zones 1 to 4 and file a status report.
A Division Bench of Justices M. Sathyanarayanan and B. Pugalendhi observed that in the considered opinion of the court, platforms and roadside margins were meant for pedestrians and Madurai Corporation was having neither legal right nor moral obligation to use the roadside margins/ storm water drainage platforms for location of bunk shops, which prima facie appear to be against public interest.
The court sought the status report with supporting documents and photographs containing details of the licensees with name, address, Aadhaar card, voter identity card, driving licence, ration card, period of licence, extension period and original licence amount and the purpose for which the licence was granted. Whether there was any sub-letting of the licence granted to the licensees, the court asked.
Further, the court asked whether the roadside shops were abutting or encroaching upon the road margins of National/ State Highways and whether there were encroachments on the part of bunk shop owners. Also, if the food articles sold were in conformity with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India standards.
The court sought details on the manner in which electricity connections were obtained by the roadside shops, availability of any other amenities other than those permitted by Madurai Corporation, whether the area around the shops was neatly maintained and if the shops caused any inconvenience to the pedestrians. The court sought the report on July 29.
The court was hearing the petition filed by M. Chandrabose of Madurai who sought a direction to Madurai Corporation to remove the bunk shops near Mattuthavani bus stand as it denied access to the pedestrians. It was said that due to the renovation work at Periyar bus stand, the licensees were given an alternative place to put up the shops near Mattuthavani bus stand.
Advocate R. Murali, standing counsel appearing for Madurai Corporation, submitted that the construction of the new bus stand complex at Periyar was proceeding smoothly and when the construction was complete, the licensees temporarily accommodated at Mattuthavani bus stand would be shifted to the new bus stand complex at Periyar.
