HC vacates stay on tenders for laying roads in Chennai

The Madras High Court today vacated its stay on finalising tenders for laying of bitumen roads in the city after the government cited urgency in view of the Global Investors Meet to be held here in May.
A bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M M Sundresh, passed the order during the hearing of suo motu PIL on the city corporation's reported decision to drop the concrete road proposal.
When the matter came up, Advocate General A L Somayaji submitted that the laying of concrete road was a long-term process and it would be implemented in a phased manner after detailed discussions with all stake-holders.

The AG also submitted that a comprehensive plan will be prepared within eight weeks.
The bench, which recorded the AG's submission that no plastic waste or black bags will be used in laying roads, permitted laying of bitumen roads in view of the two-day GIM scheduled to be held from May 23.
The court impleaded Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) as a respondent in order to monitor the environmental aspect and posted the matter to June 25.
Treating a report on the matter in an English daily as a PIL, the court had on January 19 sought a report on condition of roads across the state and appointed Advocate T.Mohan as amicus to assist it.