The Madras High Court Bench here on Wednesday sought the response of Dindigul Collector and Palani Municipality Commissioner to a public interest litigation petition alleging collection of money from every other vehicle passing through the municipality instead of levying parking charges only on devotees visiting the Dhandayuthapaniswamy Temple.
A Division Bench comprising Justice P.N. Prakash and Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana ordered notices to the two officials as well as the temple authorities, returnable after the conclusion of summer vacation for the court on May 31, on the PIL petition filed by S. Janarthanan, a resident of Vedachandur in Dindigul district, who claimed to be a regular visitor to the Palani temple.
The petitioner’s counsel, R. Gandhi, claimed that his client was one among hundreds of motorists who had to pay money to contractors, engaged for collecting parking charges, even to enter the municipality.
He pointed out that the contractors were entitled to collect money only from those who park vehicles in particular roads as per the conditions imposed on them. Referring to the tender notification issued before selecting the contractors for the period between 2015 and 2018, the counsel stated that parking charges could be collected only from those who park vehicles on Andavar Poonga Road, Jawahar Street, Aiyampuli Road, Arul Jothi Street, Idumban Kovil Street, Itteri Road, Adivaram Road and Therku Giri Street.
The petitioner too, in his affidavit, stated that “the contractors, with the help of local politicians, had put up temporary toll booths under thatched sheds and posted their men there to collect money from all vehicles entering Palani municipality. Those who question the illegal collection are threatened, teased and abused with filthy language.”
A Division Bench ordered notices to the two officials as well as temple authorities
