Chennai: Stating that for the first time the state came forward to take up a mega Chennai-Salem Greenfield 8-lane Expressway project and to generate employment opportunities, Madras high court has dismissed a petition seeking direction to the authorities to permit TMC leader GK Vasan to conduct public meeting in Salem on the project.
Dismissing Vasan’s petition, justice T. Raja said “this court is unable to appreciate how this writ petition is sought to be filed before this court. The reason being that when the government has come forward for the first time to have an eight-lane road from Salem to Chennai connectivity of all the villages and small towns in between Salem and Chennai metropolitan city for the purpose of avoiding huge time delay to reach either places that would in my considered view pave the way for many industries, factories and even multi-national companies to come and set up their establishments for the reason that they can reach the establishments and also take cargo/goods and other materials without delay which would in turn generate employment opportunities to all the youths be it skilled, semi skilled or un skilled.”
Without fully knowing the ramifications and objects of the proposed project and vision of the government, such meetings should be avoided for the use and benefit of all, the judge said.
After asking opinion of various lawyers present in the court for their suggestions the judge said “everybody appreciated and welcomed such a huge project for the first time in the state of Tamil Nadu, except one lawyer who suggested for an elevated road and that shows he also welcoming the eight lane road project.”
In the petition, K.V. Suseenthirakumar, President of Tamil Manila Congress, Salem West District, sought direction from the court to consider his representation to conduct a public meeting headed by TMC leader G. K. Vasan Sattur Mariamman Koil Thidal on July 8, 2018.
He sent a representation to inspector, Omalur police station, Salem district, on June 18, 2018, seeking the permission to conduct the public meeting to hear the opinion of the people over acquisition of land for the project.
He approached the court as there was no response from the police.
