CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has summoned the Member-Secretary of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) and the Corporation Commissioner in connection with a public interest litigation petition and directed them to explain why they did not act against building violations.

According to petitioner K.R. Ramaswamy, many shopping complexes that had come up in T. Nagar and Parrys Corner areas lacked provision for parking. Due to official negligence the general public was unable to move freely along main roads. As shoppers and owners parked their vehicles on road, buses had been diverted to other routes or two-way traffic converted into one-way.

If the buildings had been constructed violating the approved plans, the shop-owners must be punished.

If the CMDA had not made any provision for parking in these buildings then the authorities responsible for the lapse must be brought to book.

Residents' objections

The petition contended that five power transformers had been erected in Natesan Street, T. Nagar, ignoring residents' objections, to benefit some of the major shopping complexes.

Mr. Ramaswamy sought a direction to the civic authorities to provide parking amenities in the complexes in T. Nagar, Usman Road and NSC Road as stipulated by the Tamil Nadu Multistoreyed Buildings Act. They should be directed to enforce the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Multistoreyed Buildings Act and Rules and the City Municipal Act, to ensure public safety and free flow of public transport.

When the matter came up on Thursday, the First Bench comprising Chief Justice A.P. Shah and Justice D. Murugesan, while ordering notices to the authorities said: "The Member-Secretary of the CMDA and the Commissioner are directed to be present on July 10. They have to file an affidavit as to why no action had been taken [against building violations]."

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