Traders tense as monitoring committee defers de-sealing pleas following SC observation

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

The new year for High Court appointed monitoring committee began on a tense note following Supreme Court pulling up High Court on relegating the petitioners’ de-sealing application to the monitoring committee, as anxious and angry traders gathered in front of Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority to know their fate.

Interestingly, Madras High Court has asked the T Nagar business establishments to approach the court-appointed monitoring committee and submit details about building plan for removal of lock and seal.

With the Supreme Court posting the hearing on January 9, nearly a week before Pongal, traders

from Ranganathan Street Merchants Association, Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sanghankalin Perammaipu and landowners who were present at the meeting venue are keeping their fingers crossed.

A M Vikramraja, the head of the Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangam Peravai, who held deliberations with the Housing and Urban Secretary and vice-chairman of Chennai Metropolitan Development authority has urged Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to intervene so that shops could open during the Pongal festival.

“We are under pressure and many of the traders have incurred huge debt. This festival season is the only hope for traders. More than 1,500 people who have invested in chits in Jewellery and utensils establishments in the area will be dejected if the building continues to be locked. This will create law and order problem,” he warned.

Member Secretary of CMDA R Venkatesan said the monitoring committee met representatives who made request for desealing and has decided to defer the hearings for those who approached the committee following the Supreme Court order.

“We hope by January 9, we will get a favourable order,” he said.

Qasim, a member of the traders’ association said that they are being shunted from court to CMDA and then to court. “The delay is causing mental agony,’ he said.

Meenakshi of Meenakshi Real Estate alleged, “While the authorities state a fire engine will find it difficult to enter Ranganathan Street but the truth is the vehicle would not be able to enter leave alone turn into Ranganathan street because of the bridge built by the previous DMK government on Usman Road.”

Meanwhile, with the apex court judgement, aspersions has been cast on the role of monitoring committee by some sections with Association of Professional Town Planners (APTP) alleging that monitoring committee was appointed for the purpose to examine the issues arising out of regularization of unauthorized and deviated constructions which had come up to the period February 28, 1999 during first master plan.

“Upon approval of Second master Plan, it is CMDA and Corporation of Chennai to look after the regular approval of planning permission and enforcement action and monitoring committee does not have scope,” APTP president K M Sadanand said.