Of the total of 518 unauthorised bunkshops in the city, 339 had already been removed, the Chennai Corporation submitted in its counter-affidavit filed in the Madras HC on Thursday.
The counter was in response to a contempt application filed by social activist ‘Traffic’ KR Ramaswamy, seeking to punish the Corporation Commissioner for not complying with the earlier order directing removal of all the bunk shops in the City.
The counter said that of the remaining 179 bunks, 119 were involved in court cases and government authorised bunks. The balance 60 would be removed shortly,counsel for Corporation said. The first bench of Acting Chief Justice RK Agrawal and Justice M Sathyanarayanan granted two weeks time, on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the bench ordered notice, returnable by September 23, on another public interest writ petition from Ramaswamy praying for a direction to the authorities concerned to prohibit installation of idols, more particularly Vinayaga, at public places. Petitioner contended that idols were being installed at public places and electricity was being supplied to them illegally. They also caused hindrance to free flow of traffic. The idols and celebrations could be confined to temples, marriage halls or other private places, he suggested.