Chennai: Madras high court has issued notice to Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and the Chennai district administration, on a writ petition seeking action against illegal occupation of residential apartments for commercial purposes in Mannadi area, resulting in illegal parking and occupation of public roads by commercial vehicles dealing with chemicals, plastic materials, iron and steel.Admitting the plea on Monday, Justice Abdul Quddhose directed the GCC and the district administration to respond to the plea in four weeks.According to the petitioner, M Ganesan, represented by advocate R S Raveendhren, the ground floors of new buildings in many places have been rented out for business/commercial activities without any provision of parking space. Hence, the occupants of the ground-floor premises have encroached on public space for parking of vehicles.“I am given to understand that no sanctions from appropriate authorities have been obtained for letting out the buildings for commercial purposes. Traders and companies dealing with chemicals, plastic materials, iron and steel have occupied the ground-floor portions on rent, and no space has been left inside these buildings for parking vehicles of other residents who are residing on the first, second and third floors. They park their vehicles on the street throughout the day,” he alleged.Vehicles belonging to businessmen, who are occupants, are also parked on the street area, and the loading vehicles also take away huge road space. The two-wheelers that are parked perpendicularly take away about six feet of the road space. Since they are parked on both sides of the 20-foot street, they take away about 12 feet, and only less than eight feet is practically left out for other public road users, he said.Further, truck and other cargo vehicle drivers/loaders verbally abuse residents and other road users if they are asked to move their vehicles to leave space for others, he added.
