Madras High Court takes up suo motu PIL to regulate fish stalls on Marina Beach loop road

The Madras High Court has taken up a suo motu public interest litigation petition, to issue a direction to government officials to regulate fish stalls put up along the loop road at the Marina beach in Chennai, since they cause traffic chaos during the peak hours from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. every day.

The Madras High Court has taken up a suo motu public interest litigation petition, to issue a direction to government officials to regulate fish stalls put up along the loop road at the Marina beach in Chennai, since they cause traffic chaos during peak hours from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. every day.

When the case was listed for admission before the first Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice (ACJ) T. Raja and Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy on Monday, the Bench directed the High Court Registry to list it before a Division Bench of Justices S.S. Sundar and P.B. Balaji on Tuesday for passing further orders on the issue.

On being told by a counsel representing the Greater Chennai Corporation that the eastern side of the loop road had been barricaded to restrict fish stalls from encroaching upon the carriageway, he ACJ asked why fishermen and their families should be allowed to put such stalls on a public road at the first place. He insisted that the fish stalls be removed and relocated elsewhere since they end up causing traffic snarls during peak hours. “Why are you allowing these fishermen to squat on a public road. They are spoiling the beautiful place. What is their business over there. Remove them and send them elsewhere,” the ACJ said.

The petition drafted by the Joint Registrar (writs) stated that the loop road and areas in the vicinity of the Light House and Foreshore Estate (Pattinappakkam) had been encroached upon by the fishermen who had either erected fish stalls or stored ice boxes alongside the entire stretch of the road.

Further, customers to these fish stalls park their motor vehicles on the stretch, causing chaos and paralysing traffic during peak hours, the petition read, and sought a direction to the Fisheries Department, Municipal Administration Commissioner, Chennai Collector, Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner and Police Commissioner to regulate the fish stalls.