MGR Arch At Chennai’s Marina: HC Says Government Can Put Up Structure, But No Public Opening Without Court Nod

In a decision favouring the ruling AIADMK government, a division bench of the Madras High Court on Monday (November 19) permitted it to resume construction of an arch on Marina beach, as a tribute to former Chief Minister and AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran as part of his centenary celebrations.

However, the bench consisting of Justices M Sathyanarayanan and N Seshasayee restricted the government from declaring it “open” without prior permission from the court and posted the case for hearing on 21 January, while directing the government to file its counter, reports The New Indian Express.

Petitioner D Dinesh Kumar alleged that the government was constructing the centenary arch at an estimated cost of Rs 2.52 crore which encroached upon Kamarajar Salai on Marina opposite the PWD headquarters. This, he termed, an infringement of the Tamil Nadu Highways Act, 2001.

No public interest would be served in constructing the arch as the state had already built a memorial for MGR on Marina, which is against coastal regulation rules, he said.

A ban on structures or statues on public roads had earlier been imposed by the Supreme Court. The statue of actor Sivaji Ganesan, which was erected in the middle of Kamarajar Salai at the junction of Dr Radhakrishnan Salai, was removed after the court’s intervention as it was disrupting traffic, he said.

“Any construction on a highway can be made only for its development and not for any other purpose. Constructing an arch for MGR centenary is completely unauthorised. It was being built to cover up inner party squabbles,” he added, seeking court intervention by granting an interim injunction restraining the government from proceeding with its plan.