It is for the Chennai Corporation to take necessary steps to widen the Paper Mills Road at Perambur here, the Madras High Court said on Wednesday. As regards removal of encroachments on the road, the court directed the civic body to take appropriate action with the help of the police.
The First Bench comprising the Chief Justice M.Y. Eqbal and Justice T.S. Sivagnanam, was disposing of a public interest litigation petition seeking a direction to the Chennai Corporation and other authorities to widen the road from the Perambur Church to Retteri junction to cope with the increasing population and traffic.
The petitioner, L.T. William Moses of TVK Nagar said the area in and around Perambur had become a residential hub. Besides Perambur, the other railway stations such as Loco Works and Villivakkam were located nearby. There was a spurt in population on either side of the road. He sent representations to the authorities to clear the encroachments and widen the road. Since his request was not considered, he moved the court.
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The Government Pleader submitted that the road was maintained by Chennai Corporation and therefore it was the civic body’s duty to remove encroachments for widening the road.