The Madras High Court has directed the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and police authorities to file an action-taken report within two weeks on encroachments, illegal parking and unauthorised automobile repair works affecting Scheme Road in Ellaiamman Colony, Teynampet.
A division bench of Justice S M Subramaniam and Justice R Rajesh Vivekananthan also criticised the Tamil Nadu government and the civic body for failing to provide infrastructure with the same urgency used to collect taxes and other statutory charges from residents.
“When a citizen fails to remit property tax or electricity charges, the authorities swiftly initiate coercive action, including disconnection of services. However, the same alacrity is not shown in discharging their corresponding duty to provide better civic infrastructure,” the bench said, according to the report submitted before it.
The court said that the collection of property tax, water tax and licence fees by the GCC created a corresponding duty to provide services to people living in the city. It added that failure to discharge this duty must be viewed seriously.
The observations came during the hearing of a plea filed by Saju Alex, who sought directions to the GCC to remove encroachments, stop illegal parking and prevent unauthorised automobile repair activities on Scheme Road. The petitioner’s case concerns the use and condition of public road and footpath space in a residential area of Teynampet.
The bench noted that property taxes, electricity charges, infrastructure charges, planning permission charges and other statutory levies are periodically increased, while basic civic facilities remain inadequate. It specifically referred to the condition of motorable roads, encroachment-free footpaths and amenities connected to public health and citizen welfare.
The court also said that its directions issued on April 28, 2025, had not received an adequate response from the corporation and police authorities. The judges observed that the authorities appeared insensitive to the issue and were attempting to take advantage of long intervals between hearings. The bench said such a practice could not be encouraged.
The court directed the authorities to identify strategically important locations and ensure that footpaths in those areas remain free of encroachments. This, it said, was necessary to support the free flow of traffic and allow road users and pedestrians to use footpaths.
The GCC and the police have been given two weeks to submit both an action-taken report and details of proposed measures for better infrastructure and encroachment-free footpaths in and around the affected areas. The hearing has been adjourned to October 26.
